The threat of Iran or its terrorist proxies retaliating inside the United States is driving new pressure on Democrats to reopen the Department of Homeland Security after President Donald Trump’s overnight strikes.
House Homeland Security Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) joined other Republicans on Saturday in urging Democrats to end a two-week shutdown at DHS, an agency tasked with safeguarding America against terrorist attacks.
He cited the “heightened threat landscape” after the U.S. launched strikes on Iran and past attempts by Iran to target dissidents and President Donald Trump on American soil.
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“It is more important now than ever that we fully fund the Department of Homeland Security,” Garbarino said on Saturday. “We cannot afford delays. We must ensure DHS is operating at maximum readiness to prevent and respond to threats against our homeland.”
His Democratic counterpart, ranking member Bennie Thompson (D-MS), did not address DHS funding specifically but accused Trump of making the U.S. “more vulnerable to ensuing terrorism attacks” because of the operation, launched in coordination with Israel to topple Iran’s leadership and dismantle its nuclear program.
“I am deeply concerned about the administration’s attention to possible threats and its ability to protect Americans,” he added.
Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday that she was in “direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.”
Kathy Hochul (D-NY), the governor of New York, said she would be dispatching police to “religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites” in the state as a precaution.
“While there are no credible threats at this time, our top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe,” she said.
The effects of the shutdown have so far been limited by the fact that most DHS employees are considered essential and will continue to work without paychecks. The administration has nonetheless furloughed some staff and shuttered certain agency functions, leading Republicans to accuse Democrats of jeopardizing national security over the impasse.
The White House is currently negotiating reforms to immigration enforcement after federal officers fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month, but Trump has so far been unable to reach a compromise with Democrats that would allow DHS to reopen.
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“While President Trump is prioritizing the safety and security of our nation, Democrats are playing politics with the Department of Homeland Security funding and are opening up our homeland to unnecessary vulnerabilities,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), a GOP member of Senate’s Homeland Security Committee.
Democrats, meanwhile, focused most of their statements Saturday on Trump’s decision to launch the operation without congressional approval, with a war powers vote expected to be brought to the House floor sometime next week.
