White House Negotiating with Democrats on DHS Reform as Deadline Nears

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Congress and the White House are engaged in negotiations over potential reforms to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a deadline to shut down the agency approaches by the end of the week. Lawmakers have until Friday, February 13th, to reach an agreement or risk jeopardizing funding for key DHS divisions like the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard.

Why it matters

The ongoing discussions reflect a bipartisan unease over the tactics of federal agents in President Trump's nationwide immigration enforcement surge, especially since the recent killing of a 37-year-old nurse by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota. Democrats have proposed a list of reforms, including a ban on mask-wearing for federal agents and stricter use-of-force standards, which the White House has countered with its own proposal.

The details

While the White House's counterproposal details are not widely known, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are working to broker a deal before the Friday deadline. Even if the deadline passes, the consequences would be limited, as the rest of the government has already been funded through the fiscal year and ICE would continue operating. However, the clock is ticking, and it remains unclear whether Republicans and Democrats would be willing to pass another short-term DHS funding extension to allow more time for a compromise.

• The Friday, February 13th deadline is approaching to reach an agreement and avoid a potential DHS shutdown.
• Last month, a 37-year-old nurse, Alex Pretti, was killed by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota, sparking bipartisan unease over federal immigration enforcement tactics.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.