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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday lambasted the Democrats over the ongoing funding deadlock for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), accusing them of obstructing critical support for immigration enforcement agencies amid a prolonged shutdown.
The prolonged deadlock has entered its tenth week, raising concerns over national security and federal workforce stability, particularly in the wake of the shooting at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday. In a post on Truth Social, Trump lashed out at opposition lawmakers, saying, "The Radical Left Democrats have kept DHS shut down since February 14th." He added that House Speaker Mike Johnson was working to pass a Republican-backed budget blueprint to secure "FULL FUNDING" for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents. Trump urged party unity, stating that Republicans must "UNIFY" to bypass Senate obstruction and deliver the final bill by June 1. The political gridlock centres on disagreements over immigration policy reforms tied to DHS funding. Democrats have pushed for changes to enforcement practices, particularly amid criticism of Trump's mass deportation agenda, while Republicans have rejected those demands as unacceptable. The deadlock has left agencies under DHS, including airport security operations, facing severe strain due to unpaid personnel and staffing shortages. According to Fox News, the White House is also backing a proposal to rename Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "National Immigration and Customs Enforcement" (NICE), a move Trump endorsed in another post on Truth Social. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt underscored the urgency of restoring funding, citing recent security concerns. "Saturday night served as yet another reminder of how important it is to fund the Department of Homeland Security," she said. She further slammed the United States Congress stating, "It is shameful that the United States Congress has kept this vital agency defunded for 73 days," she said, adding that the Secret Service and other DHS components have been directly affected." The stalemate stems from sharp divisions between Republicans and Democrats over immigration policy. Democrats have demanded reforms to enforcement practices before approving funds for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), while Republicans have rejected these conditions outright. The impasse has already triggered widespread disruptions. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which falls under DHS, has seen airport staff go unpaid for weeks, leading to long queues and travel delays across the country. Reports by The Washington Post and CNN indicate that efforts to resolve the crisis remain stalled, with House Republicans divided over how to proceed. Speaker Johnson has proposed revising a Senate-approved funding bill, calling its language "problematic," even as pressure mounts to end what has become the longest DHS shutdown in US history. (ANI)
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