Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) predicted that “Democrats are not going to fund” the Department of Homeland Security as an appropriations bill looms.
Schiff appeared on NBC News’s Meet the Press on Sunday to answer questions about how he will vote on the DHS funding bill. It is one of six appropriations bills to fund the government and narrowly passed the House of Representatives last week.
“Well, I’m not giving ICE or Border Patrol another dime, given how these agencies are operating. Democrats are not going to fund that,” Schiff said.
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Schiff was referencing the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday, coupled with Renee Good’s shooting death by an ICE officer on Jan. 7. Schiff called for “an investigation of both of these killings” since Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “has called these victims domestic terrorists without knowing anything.”
This interview comes as the deadline to fund the government, Jan. 30, is fast approaching. Should the Senate not reach a consensus on the bill, it will result in at least a partial government shutdown, which Schiff blamed on Republican senators.
“The government will shut down if Republicans insist that that be joined with other government funding. It will be a Republican decision,” Schiff said. “They’re in the majority if they want to shut down the government so they can perpetuate this violence.”
Schiff: I’m not giving ICE or border patrol another dime… Anyone who votes to give them more money to do this will share in the responsibility and see more Americans die in our cities as a result. pic.twitter.com/MTVyQi07Lb
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 25, 2026
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also promised to vote against the DHS bill, signaling that other Democratic senators will follow.
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Democratic senators successfully shut down the government last year and set a record of 43 days. All six of the appropriations bills need to pass a 60-vote threshold, which requires cooperation from both parties to achieve.
Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Jack Reed (D-RI) suggested dropping the bill to instead pass the five remaining bills. Despite the approaching deadline, the Senate canceled votes on Monday due to a snowstorm in the District of Columbia.
