The US Department of Homeland Security was on track for a partial shutdown when its annual funding expires at midnight, after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms.
While some ‘non-essential’ workers were expected to be put on leave, the Trump administration’s intensive migrant deportation operations were likely to continue, along with most other domestic federal security programmes.
Republican President Donald Trump, in remarks to reporters, attacked congressional Democrats’ push for new constraints on immigration agents, underscoring a gulf between the two parties that could point to a prolonged shutdown.
Asked whether he would personally be involved in DHS shutdown talks, Trump told reporters at the White House: ‘I will’, but gave no other details. “We’re talking,” he said.
“We have to protect law enforcement,” including ICE and CBP agents, he added. Trump earlier accused Democrats of wanting to put agents ‘in a lot of danger’.
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