Congress Plays Hot Potato With ICE Funding While Government Stays Closed
KEY POINTS
- •Hakeem Jeffries told Mike Johnson on Saturday that Democrats won’t help end the partial government shutdown without ICE reforms.
- •Senate Democrats split on the two-week DHS funding bill, sparking backlash from progressive groups who oppose funding ICE at all.
- •Some GOP hardliners, led by Anna Paulina Luna and the House Freedom Caucus, resist the short-term DHS extension and demand extra voting restrictions.
In a bipartisan game of political dodgeball, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned Speaker Mike Johnson that Democrats won’t catch their falling votes to end the partial government shutdown. The trouble? Johnson's crew must get almost every GOP vote to fund DHS for just two weeks—because Democrats dislike funding ICE without reform, leaving 23 Senate Dems to eat progressive wrath for daring to vote yes. Meanwhile, progressive firebrand Greg Casar tweeted a fiery 'no more cents to ICE' stance. Right-wing troublemakers led by Anna Paulina Luna demand proof of U.S. citizenship to vote be shackled to the bill, turning the funding drama into Congress's favorite High-Stakes Reality Show.
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Congress can’t even agree on two weeks of DHS funding without turning into a political Hunger Games featuring ICE, citizenship tests, and endless vetoes.
Democrats treat funding ICE like a horror sequel nobody asked for; GOP's got to herd their chaos cats to keep the lights on.
Mike Johnson’s to-do list: round up unruly Republicans, keep ICE funding hostage, and prevent government shutdown sequel—good luck, Mike.
Source: Axios | Published: 1/31/2026 | Author: Andrew Solender
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