Senate Iran conflict fails to move Democrats in DHS shutdown fight by Al Weaver - 03/04/26 6:00 AM ET by Al Weaver - 03/04/26 6:00 AM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING Centrist Democrats in the Senate are showing little appetite to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and end the partial shutdown, despite Republicans trying to ramp up the pressure as the U.S. escalates its conflict with Iran. Talks between the White House and Democratic negotiators have made little progress in recent weeks as Democrats dig in on their demands. Republicans this week sought to break the stalemate by arguing the conflict is heightening the threats at home and pointing to DHS’s role in domestic security and counterterrorism. Democrats aren’t convinced, including most of those who voted to end the government shutdown in November. “No, I don’t. … [Republicans] gave DHS plenty of money in the ‘big, beautiful bill.’ They have plenty of money. So we’re not going to suddenly say, ‘Oh, well, let’s give up our request for necessary reforms,’” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) summed up the GOP argument over the weekend, writing on the social platform X, “Following the successful strikes on Iran and the FBI’s warning of elevated threats here at home, it is dangerous for Democrats in Washington to keep the Department of Homeland Security shut down.” But of the eight Democrats who broke with leadership on the agreement to end the 43-day government shutdown last fall, at least four have indicated  they feel no impetus to alter their posture given the state of play in Iran. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) told The Hill that he sees no correlation between the funding fight and the emerging war in Tehran.   “I don’t think there’s any relationship between FEMA and Iran — or the Coast Guard, for that matter,” King said, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is the only one of the eight who has expressed support for DHS funding. He has already been the lone Democrat to vote to advance a full-year DHS funding bill. Negotiators have struggled to close a sizable gap since both chambers agreed to pass five full-year funding bills and exclude DHS following the death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis at the hands of federal immigration agents. Democrats are demanding deep reforms to how the administration carries out immigration enforcement. The White House and Democrats have traded proposals and counterproposals, with administration officials sending its latest one to Democratic leaders late last week. “We’re still far apart, but we’re still negotiating and exchanging paper back and forth,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), the lead Democratic negotiator, said Tuesday. “It’s very easy for them to get all of this funded,” he said. “Simply to agree to our commonsense proposals on ICE and Border Patrol. What we’ve asked for is what every police force does.”  Democrats have consistently pointed back to their initial wish list in negotiations, with Republicans complaining that they have not compromised enough in talks.  Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) have called for warrant requirements for immigration operations to be tightened, an end to “roving patrols” and for immigration agents in the field to be unmasked and conduct themselves like other national and local law enforcement personnel.  All of those are considered red lines for Republicans.  “They have the power to reopen [DHS]. Our demands are reasonable,” said Sen. Jacky Rosen (Nev.), one of the eight Democrats who voted to end the fall shutdown. The impasse has prompted some on the GOP side to try to shake talks loose. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), an appropriator, told reporters that she has started to have informal discussions with rank-and-file Democrats in search of a potential resolution.  Multiple Democratic lawmakers have also called for a move that echoes the one struck by lawmakers ahead of the funding deadline. That would see members approve a funding bill for the roughly 80 percent of DHS that does not deal with immigration. That would include FEMA, the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service, among others areas.  “I think many of us have been willing to do that,” Kaine said. “I don’t know why [Republicans] wouldn’t. They negotiated those bills too. There are things in the bills they like, so why not allow them to go forward.” Republicans are showing little indication they are open to that. When asked if she would back such a bill, Britt responded in the negative.  The questions over the DHS funding bill co