Senate Democrats block increased ICE funding bill

The decision could lead to a partial federal government shutdown.

Senate Democrats blocked a US House-led spending bill days before the federal budget deadline on Jan. 31. In the wake of immigration agents causing two deaths in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Democrats have united in an effort to curtail a $170 billion increase for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over the next four years—possibly triggering a shutdown of most of the federal government.

The bill originally passed the House without the support of Nevada Democrats and needed  Senate Democrats’ support before going to President Donald Trump’s desk for final approval. Nevada’s federal delegates have aligned against the measure, saying it lacks sufficient oversight of DHS, which funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The measure puts $10 billion into ICE’s annual budget.

“I’ll be voting against any government funding package that contains the bill that funds [ICE],” US Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) wrote in a statement on X.

Democrats, along with several Republicans, are demanding broad reforms to DHS, including a mandate that ICE wear body cameras, standardized use of force rules, bans on masks worn by agents, and independent investigations of the recent fatal shootings of US citizens.

Immigrant advocacy groups praised Democrats for rejecting the spending package and condemned Rep. Mark Amodei of Northern Nevada, the state’s sole Republican in Congress, for supporting the proposal. 

“It’s shameful that Rep. Mark Amodei chose to side with extremism by voting yes to pass the bill that expands ICE’s power,” said Noé Orosco, coordinator for the Nevada Immigration Coalition. “His vote puts Nevada families at greater risk of racial profiling, detention, and separation.”

But even Amodei, the House Homeland Security appropriations subcommittee chair, called for ICE operations to “pivot” following the death of 37-year-old Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti, who was gunned down in the street last weekend by Border Patrol officers. This came after the fatal ICE shooting of another Minneapolis resident, Renee Nicole Good, this month. However, Republicans have signaled continued support for funding and backing immigration agent activity.

Failure to pass the bill by Saturday could result in a partial federal government shutdown, disrupting key operations. However, ICE raids could continue thanks to the agency’s $75 billion in funding from Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” NBC News reports.

Democrats are still working to avert a shutdown, seeking alternate courses of action with Senate Republicans.

US Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said the ICE crackdown under Trump’s orders is “not about keeping Americans safe,” accusing the agency of “brutalizing U.S. citizens and law-abiding immigrants.” 

“The Trump Administration and Kristi Noem are putting undertrained, combative federal agents on the streets with no accountability,” Cortez Masto wrote in a statement. “They are oppressing Americans and are at odds with local law enforcement.”

Cortez Masto’s spokesperson said the Senate should instead pass other bipartisan spending bills.