South Carolina Democratic Rep. James Clyburn said Sunday that the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security is primarily the result of a dispute over funding for federal immigration enforcement.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s PoliticsNation with host Al Sharpton, Clyburn argued that Democrats are willing to fund most DHS operations but are refusing to support additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“This is an issue about ICE,” Clyburn said. “Not anything to do with TSA, not anything to do with FEMA, nothing to do with the Coast Guard.”
Clyburn claimed Democrats would support legislation funding other DHS agencies but oppose provisions that expand resources for ICE.
“All of these are wrapped up in this bill that the Republicans are refusing to put on the floor,” he said. “We will vote for that, but we are not going to fund ICE to continue killing people, to continue masking themselves so no one can identify them.”
The dispute comes after President Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which included $75 billion in funding for ICE to expand immigration enforcement operations. Democrats have sharply criticized the funding increase and have pushed for major changes to the agency’s enforcement authority.
Senate Democrats have since filibustered legislation to fund DHS unless reforms are added. Among the changes they are demanding are new restrictions requiring ICE agents to obtain judicial warrants before arresting illegal immigrants. Republicans argue such requirements would significantly limit the agency’s ability to carry out deportations.
Democrats have also indicated that personnel changes at DHS would not resolve the standoff. Some lawmakers have called for the reassignment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, but party leaders have said that move alone would not be enough to secure their support for funding legislation.
The funding impasse has forced several DHS agencies to operate under emergency contingency measures. According to a February 22 statement from the department, agencies affected include the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
As part of the shutdown’s impact, TSA workers reportedly missed a full paycheck on Friday even as they continued working at airports across the country.
The conflict between lawmakers intensified after two fatal shootings involving DHS officers during Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation launched in Minnesota earlier this year. The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good during the operation prompted calls from Democratic lawmakers for stricter oversight of federal immigration enforcement.
The Minnesota operation was itself controversial before the shootings occurred. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey previously stated that local law enforcement would not cooperate with federal immigration agents participating in the initiative.
