Lawmakers Negotiate Bipartisan Deal to Reopen Most of DHS
Republican senators weigh a deal to restore funding to most of the Department of Homeland Security, excluding immigration enforcement operations.
Republican senators are reportedly considering a bipartisan deal to restore funding to most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), while initially excluding money for arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants. Under the potential agreement, the GOP would accede to Democratic demands to fund all parts of the department except for those involved in immigration enforcement operations.
The Republican lawmakers would then seek to pay for those enforcement operations using the budget reconciliation process, which allows them to address spending and revenue issues without relying on Democratic support. This move aims to break the impasse that has resulted in a partial government shutdown and disrupted operations at some airports.
The proposed deal comes as the homeland security shutdown has already snarled airport lines and halted pay for some federal workers, even as lawmakers continue to negotiate. The division over immigration enforcement has been a key sticking point in the negotiations, with Democrats refusing to provide funding for President Trump's border wall or expanded deportation efforts.
<{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}} alt=Source: The Guardian
