Senate Democrats block DHS spending bill, threaten shutdown over Pretti killing

Senate Minority Leader CSChuck Schumer announced on Jan. 25, 2026, that Senate Democrats won't provide the 60 votes needed to pass the DHS funding bill after Alex Pretti was fatally shot by Border Patrol. Schumer said the bill is 'woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE.' The House passed the six-bill $1.2 trillion package last week, but it needs Democratic support to clear the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold.

The funding bill provides $10 billion for ICE in fiscal year 2026, matching 2025 levels. But this comes on top of $75 billion Congress allocated to ICE over four years in Trump's reconciliation bill last summer. Democrats negotiated $20 million for officer body cameras and reduced funding for enforcement and removal operations, but most Democrats said this didn't go far enough.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, initially said she'd vote for the package last week because blocking it wouldn't restrain ICE's $75 billion slush fund. After Pretti's shooting on Jan. 25, Murray reversed course and said she'd join Democratic colleagues in opposing the funding. She called Pretti's death 'an execution' and demanded accountability.

The Senate needs to pass six remaining appropriations bills by the Jan. 30 midnight deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown. The DHS bill is tied to funding for Defense, State, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and other agencies. If Democrats block the package, it would shut down 75% of annual federal discretionary spending.

A winter storm delayed Senate votes until Jan. 27, creating an extremely tight timeline. Even if Democrats convinced Republicans to separate DHS funding from the other five bills, the House would need to return from recess (scheduled until Feb. 2) to approve the changes. House Speaker Mike Johnson hasn't indicated he'd call members back early.

Democrats who voted to end the 43-day shutdown in Dec. now say they'll oppose DHS funding despite shutdown risk. Sen. CCCatherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), who broke with her party to end the last shutdown, said she won't support the DHS measure. She said Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem are 'putting undertrained, combative federal agents on the streets with no accountability.'

Schumer held a Democratic caucus strategy call on Jan. 26 where he told senators the message must be to 'restrain, reform and restrict ICE.' Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) pushed the caucus to develop specific demands for DHS reforms. A Senate Republican leadership aide said they're planning to vote on the package as one and 'hope Democrats can find a path forward to join us.'

The appropriations process gives Congress the power of the purse over executive branch agencies. Democrats are using their minority leverage to extract policy changes through the threat of a shutdown. This tactic worked in Dec. when they temporarily blocked funding to demand a vote on health insurance subsidies, though that vote ultimately failed.