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In a bid to avert a looming shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, the White House made a last-ditch attempt to secure funding just before the deadline. On Wednesday evening, legislative text was sent to Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill, as confirmed by a White House official to The Hill.
However, this eleventh-hour effort seems unlikely to sway Democrats, who have already dismissed a previous proposal from the White House as “incomplete and insufficient.” Earlier in the week, Democratic leaders were clear in their disapproval, demanding more comprehensive solutions.
The negotiations have hit a stumbling block, with Senate Democrats asserting on Wednesday that discussions with the White House have not advanced sufficiently to finalize a funding agreement for DHS. They have firmly stated that they will not support another temporary funding measure unless Republicans commit to a significant 10-point plan aimed at reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada expressed frustration, noting that the White House’s latest response was merely a “one-pager” lacking the detailed legislative proposals that Democratic negotiators had submitted the previous week to address ICE reforms. The back-and-forth highlights the continued impasse between the two sides as they grapple with critical immigration and border security issues.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) said on Wednesday that the White House responded with a “one-pager” that did not include details after Democratic negotiators sent in detailed legislative text for reforming ICE last week.
“That shows me that they’re not really serious about this,” she said before predicting Republicans will just keep offering short-term funding extensions to avoid having to agree to substantial immigration reforms.
“It’s like a kid who says, ‘Mom, just one more story, just one more story,’ and pretty soon they’re up all night,’” Rosen said.