‘What’s Happening In Minnesota Is Appalling’: Schumer Vows Dems Won’t Support ‘Woefully Inadequate’ DHS Funding Bill

Hours after Border Patrol fatally shot an armed man Saturday in Minneapolis, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he and other Democrats will not back a legislative package including a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), potentially risking a partial government shutdown.

The Senate has until Jan. 30 to pass a six-bill package funding multiple federal government agencies which, as presently being considered by the upper chamber, includes the DHS bill. If a total of 60 senators do not support the package by the deadline, the country will face a partial government shutdown — less than four months removed from a record 43-day standoff which Schumer and the vast majority of his caucus consistently voted to prolong.

“What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling—and unacceptable in any American city,” Schumer wrote in an X post late Saturday. “Democrats sought common sense reforms in the [DHS] spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President [Donald] Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement].”

“I will vote no. Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included,” the minority leader added.

What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling—and unacceptable in any American city. Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to…

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 24, 2026

Since Republicans hold only 53 seats in the Senate, they will need the support of at least a handful of Democrats to reach the 60-vote threshold to break the upper chamber’s filibuster. Republicans also need every senator regardless of party to agree to accelerate the spending package in order for it to pass by the Jan. 30 deadline, Politico reported.

Border Patrol agents Saturday morning shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37. Pretti, at the time, was armed with a semi-automatic handgun while federal officers were “conducting a targeted operation” in the city, DHS told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Pretti’s death came just 17 days after an ICE officer, also a 37-year-old American citizen, fatally shot Renee Good, whom DHS claimed “weaponized her vehicle” in “an act of domestic terrorism.”

In an earlier Saturday afternoon X post, Schumer expressed support for removing ICE agents from Minnesota, a position echoed by a number of elected Democrats in the state, including Rep. Ilhan Omar.

The DHS funding bill narrowly passed in the House on Thursday with only seven moderate Democrats — all representing Republican-leaning or swing districts — voting in favor. Conversely, one Republican, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie voted against the bill. Massie is a fiscal hawk facing a Trump-backed primary challenger.

Even before Schumer vowed he and his caucus will vote no on the six-bill package including the DHS bill, analysts pointed to the increasing likelihood of a partial shutdown due to Democrats’ current attitudes toward immigration enforcement.

This ICE situation is a nightmare for the Senate. Cannot see a scenario in which Senate Dems can vote for this 6-bill package which includes DHS funding. Govt shuts down Friday. First Senate procedural vote likely not until Wednesday, giving them limited room to maneuver. House…

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 24, 2026

“This ICE situation is a nightmare for the Senate. Cannot see a scenario in which Senate Dems can vote for this 6-bill package which includes DHS funding,” Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman wrote in a Saturday afternoon post to X. “Govt shuts down Friday. First Senate procedural vote likely not until Wednesday, giving them limited room to maneuver. House on recess. Any changes to the bill would require the House. Shutdown a real possibility at this point.”

In addition to funding ICE and Border Patrol, the DHS bill included in the spending package will also allocate $2.2 billion to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a controversial DHS agency created under the first Trump administration which many conservatives subsequently blasted for censoring speech about election integrity and COVID-19 origins.