WASHINGTON, D.C. — There is a stalemate in the U.S. Congress heading into the second week over billions for border security.

Democrats and Republicans haven’t been able to agree on an appropriations bill for $64.4 billion in Department of Homeland Security funding, including $10 billion Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“ICE needs to be reformed in a dramatic, meaningful, and transformational manner, and if that doesn’t happen, the DHS funding bill will not move forward,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Wednesday while standing next to a “Trump’s big ugly bill cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and gave $75 billion to ICE” poster.

When President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful bill into law last year, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem welcomed $165 billion, including $46.5 billion to finish Trump’s border wall.

The DHS budget overview also included more than $500 million for “detention capacity increase,” $205 million for detainees’ transportation, and $24.7 million for detainees’ healthcare.

On Tuesday, US Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Dakota News Now that DHS “got a little off track in Minneapolis,” where there were two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens.

ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good on Jan. 7. Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez shot and killed Alex Pretti on Jan. 24.

“I think changes have been made,” Thunes said about Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, replacing U.S. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino in Minnesota.

During a news conference on Feb. 4, Homan announced the withdrawal of 700 DHS law enforcement personnel who were deployed to Minnesota.

“We created one unified chain of command to make sure everybody is on the same page, and make sure we follow the rules,” Homan said.

On Feb. 13, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a U.S. House appropriations committee ranking member, said DHS was “shutting down” because Republicans refused to reform “the agencies responsible for the deaths of” Good and Pretti.

“Republicans are responsible for this lapse, which will force Transportation Security Officers to work without pay, severely reduce disaster relief funding, and negatively impact Coast Guard, Secret Service, and cybersecurity personnel,” DeLauro said. “Services will be scaled back, and workers will be furloughed.”

On Feb. 11, Rep. John Rutherford and other House Republicans blamed Senate Democrats during a Homeland Security subcommittee hearing.

“Think about the responsibility that you all are going to have around all of the NSC events coming up with the FIFA World Cup, with all the America 250 events, and we’re giving you fits and stops of funding,” Rutherford said.

Congressional Democrats are demanding mandatory body camera use, bans on masks and roving patrols, the strict use of warrants, and more accountability.

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