Members of the House Committee on Homeland Security have expressed concern over the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which they attribute to Senate Democrats’ refusal to approve a bipartisan, full-year DHS funding bill that passed in the House in January. The shutdown has affected several components within DHS, particularly those not covered by recent reconciliation funding for agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This situation follows an oversight hearing where leaders from ICE, CBP, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services warned that a shutdown would disrupt interagency coordination and hinder DHS’s ability to fulfill its mission.
Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) appeared on multiple news programs to discuss how the shutdown affects law enforcement training and readiness across federal agencies such as the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, DEA, Border Patrol, airport security, Coast Guard, and FEMA. He stated on OANN: “ICE is funded through the Department of Homeland Security, but you also have things like the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. This is police academy for all federal agencies. Things like the DEA, things like the Border Patrol, these agencies also go through federal law enforcement training. You have airport security. You have the Coast Guard, which keeps things from coming into the country through our maritime borders and our maritime infrastructure. You have FEMA, the emergency management system. Six months ago, Democrats were howling that Republicans didn’t want to help Americans in disaster zones. But now it’s Democrats who are defunding all of these things because they have never left their defund the police roots behind.”
On Real America’s Voice, Rep. Evans addressed ICE operations: “Supposedly, only 40 percent [of those] in custody have violent criminal backgrounds, which is true, but what they don’t tell you is what falls under the nonviolent criminal category, which is things like selling drugs, theft, fraud…human trafficking. So when you actually count those other crimes ICE is doing what they said they’re supposed to be doing... It’s about 60 percent of those people [that] are in ICE detention right now... if ICE is going out to arrest a nonviolent human trafficker... they also take that person into custody... so that accounts for the vast majority of other folks that are in ICE custody right now.”
Rep. Brad Knott (R-NC), speaking with Fox News Radio about workforce impacts at DHS during a shutdown—particularly concerning TSA and FEMA—said: “When we talk about the Department of Homeland Security there are... other elements to that department. Think about TSA; think about FEMA... That’s a very important region of the department for my state of North Carolina which is still reeling from several hurricanes.... Until we can get some sort of common sense breakthrough I think this is going to be something that's a real problem.”
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) discussed negotiations around DHS funding on NewsNation: “The body cams make a lot of sense.... today I asked the ICE director if they would be willing to release more footage and he agreed.... We’ve built it out when we passed One Big Beautiful Bill... No matter what happens ICE is going to be taken care of and so is 94 percent of government.” He highlighted cooperation between local jails and ICE: “These 80 counties that are now allowing ICE into jails—that works... It gives them real facts.... We need more of that across country...” On Newsmax he added: “This is all about politics and Democrats are playing a very dangerous game.... If something were to happen ... where FEMA has to respond ... we’re not paying our FEMA employees; that is dangerous… CISA ... takes care of our computers.... Not to mention Coast Guard who’s doing an amazing job.... Here we have Democrats holding it up… This is all about politics and stopping President Trump’s agenda.”
Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-SC) criticized anti-law enforcement rhetoric at last week’s committee hearing on Newsmax: “Well I thought rhetoric from other side was absolutely disgusting.... I support my local law enforcement.... And I'm grateful for what they do every day.” She continued on Fox News regarding instability caused by a shutdown: “This shutdown hurts American people.... Bottom line—we can’t afford instability within homeland security.... The demands ... put our citizens at risk.”
A lapse in funding means many among DHS's workforce—over 250,000 employees—must work without pay while continuing critical safety missions nationwide.
In January's appropriations process,the House approved six final appropriations bills, including bipartisan legislation for full-year DHS funding supporting body cameras for officers as well as deescalation training resources.A recent subcommittee hearing featured testimony from leaders at FEMA,TSA,CISA,and Coast Guard emphasizing risks posed by operational disruptions during lapses in funding.
