Majority Leader | Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSR...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board02.12.26Democrats Plan to Shut Down FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard, and Critical National Security OperationsBy Shutting Down the Department of Homeland Security, Democrats Jeopardize Essential Security and Disaster Agencies and Revive Their Campaign to Defund Law Enforcement DESPITE PAST INSISTENCE THAT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS ARE NOT THE WAY TO ACHIEVE POLICY OUTCOMES, DEMOCRATS ARE ON TRACK TO SHUT DOWN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY“It's the methodology of what they're doing, which is basically saying, I have a baseball bat, I'm going to hit you over the head unless you give it my way. It's not even hitting me over the head. It's hitting all those people who need their paychecks to pay their families.” – Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) (9/30/13)“I just want to point out one thing about shutdowns. We don't have to do this to ourselves. Shutdowns are a uniquely American tactic. We're not more prone to polarization or partisanship than other governments across the world. But you look around the planet and you won't find other legislatures pulling the plug on the government itself and the critical services that people need because they couldn't resolve a policy dispute. It just doesn't happen because it's that ridiculous. It's that insane. It's that counterproductive. Only we do this to ourselves.” – Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) (9/28/23)“The White House sent Democrats text of their offer for Department of Homeland Security funding on Wednesday night, a last-minute bid to avoid a shutdown for the massive department and its 260,000 employees.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Dems review W.H. offer with shutdown looming – 2/12/26)Despite the White House’s good-faith offer, Senate Democrats flatly rejected it, opting to shut down the entire Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instead. (The Hill’s Alex Bolton: post on X – 2/12/26)“Just asked Sen. Patty Murray if Dems are willing to support a CR today after WH sent over leg text last night. ‘We're still looking at it but no, not today. They have not addressed most of our major concerns at all.’ She tells me this will be the official Senate Dem position.” (CNN’s Sarah Ferris: post on X – 2/12/26)Reminder: Senate Democrats did not send legislative text to Republicans until over the weekend, less than one week before DHS runs out of funding. (Politico’s Jordain Carney: post on X – 2/8/26; Politico: ‘Complete nonstarter’: Administration allies say judicial warrants a red line for White House in DHS funding talks as shutdown looms – 2/9/26)For the entire week, Democrats have promised to oppose another stopgap funding bill for DHS:“Democrats will not support a CR to extend the status quo.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)“I would say no today, I would say no yesterday, I would say no tomorrow.” – Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)“[S]hutting down Homeland Security should be the result here if there’s no agreement by Friday on these basic demands.” – Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)“I am not going to support a CR...” – Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.)“There’s no chance of my support for that.” – Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)“Can agreement be reached? ‘Not today,’ [Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.)] says.” (Punchbowl News’ Anthony Adragna: post on X – 2/12/26)“Sen. KING tells me there’s ‘zero’ chance he’ll vote for a CR.”“Sen. SHAHEEN tells me that, as of now, she hasn’t seen enough progress in negotiations for ICE reforms to back a CR.” (Punchbowl News’ Laura Weiss: post on X – 2/10/26)IN THE PAST, SCHUMER EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF DHS FUNDING, BUT NOW PROGRESSIVES ARE ITCHING TO GO FURTHER AND ACTUALLY DEFUND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIESIn the past, Schumer warned about the negative implications of not funding DHS would have on New York State:“But hurting TSA, hurting border patrol, hurting FBI agents, air traffic controllers, food safety inspectors, Coast Guard members? They deal with our security right now. Right now. So if you believe in the security of America you vote yes on the second vote – no matter what you think of the wall.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) (1/24/19)“If there’s a shutdown, TSA could be thrown into chaos, meaning possible delays and disruption for all fliers. Border enforcement agencies would be undermined, and even FEMA’s disaster relief fund could actually dry up. We don’t need to go through any of this.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) (9/26/23)“If the government shuts down, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents at airports across NYS – such as Buffalo Niagara International, Albany International, and Syracuse Hancock International – will be working without pay… Schumer says many TSA workers cannot afford to go without pay because of the transportation costs to get to work, and impacts workers’ families who depend on their paycheck. Additionally, Schumer warned that a shutdown will cause significant delays and longer wait times for the 84,613 people who fly through New York airports every day, as there were during previous shutdowns, with hiring and new training freezing and exacerbating shortages.” (Sen. Schumer: Schumer: Government Shutdown Would Hurt Every Corner Of New York State – 9/28/23)As Democrats promise to oppose DHS funding, progressives have begun to reengage the party in a debate over abolishing law enforcement agencies:“Steve Israel, former chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the party learned the hard way that slogans like ‘abolish ICE’ and ‘defund the police’ alienated centrist and independent voters.” (The Washington Post: Democrats want to ‘reimagine’ immigration enforcement. Just don’t say ‘abolish ICE.’ – 1/31/26)“That has not stopped some Democrats from resurrecting the slogan — which became popular with some progressives during Trump’s first term — particularly those involved in tough primaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, where they are trying to win over the party’s left.” (The Washington Post: Democrats want to ‘reimagine’ immigration enforcement. Just don’t say ‘abolish ICE.’ – 1/31/26)“Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts), who is facing a primary challenge, said this week that Democrats had an opportunity to ‘defund and abolish ICE.’” (The Washington Post: Democrats want to ‘reimagine’ immigration enforcement. Just don’t say ‘abolish ICE.’ – 1/31/26)“Democratic Senate candidates in Illinois and Michigan have also used the phrase in recent days.” (The Washington Post: Democrats want to ‘reimagine’ immigration enforcement. Just don’t say ‘abolish ICE.’ – 1/31/26)IN THEIR PUSH TO DEFUND LAW ENFORCEMENT, DEMOCRATS WILL DENY IMPORTANT FUNDING TO SEVERAL NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM DEMOCRATS’ 43-DAY SHUTDOWN IN THE FALL“If no deal can be reached before the deadline, a shutdown would affect the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration. Many of those agencies would continue operating in some capacity, but their employees would have to go without pay.” (The New York Times: Talks on Immigration Enforcement Limits Still Stuck With Deadline Nearing – 2/8/26)“Several officials noted their agencies are still feeling the impacts of the shutdown last fall. FEMA is still ‘working our way out’ of the delayed payments to states from the previous lapse, [FEMA associate administrator Gregg] Phillips said. TSA employees were ‘subject to late fees from missed bill payments, eviction notices, loss of child care and more,’ [acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen] McNeill said, adding the toll on the workforce could not be overstated. ‘Twelve weeks later, some are just recovering from the financial impact of the 43-day shutdown,’ she said. ‘Many are still reeling from it.’” (Government Executive: DHS officials implore lawmakers not to force their employees to endure more delayed pay during a shutdown – 2/11/26)A shutdown of DHS would have dire consequences for these departments’ abilities to carry out their duties and the essential workers who would go without pay:“The next day, everyone will show up, we will continue to protect and serve, there would be no visible difference, there's no pause button on our mission, paychecks may stop but work will continue, but morale will fade as the bills come in… We will feel the ripple effects... delayed contracts, diminished hiring, our efforts to train and deploy the best… Our difficult mission becomes exponentially harder during a government shutdown.” – Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn“[S]hutdowns cripple morale and directly harm our ability to recruit and retain the talented Americans we need to meet growing demands.” – U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thomas Allan“A shutdown would degrade our capacity to provide timely and actionable guidance to help partners defend their networks. Operations would be constrained and service delivery delayed in core mission areas such as cyber response, security assessments, stakeholder engagements, training exercises and special event planning.” – Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala“TSA’s critical national security mission does not stop during a shutdown; around 95% or 61,000 of TSA employees are deemed essential and continue to work to protect the traveling public during a shutdown, while not getting paid.” – Transportation Security Administration Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill“McNeill says during the last shutdown she heard reports of TSA agents ‘sleeping in their cars at airports to save money on gas, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet.’” (States Newsroom’s Jennifer Shutt: post on X – 2/11/26)PrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
