Congress returns on Monday with just four days before the deadline to pass legislation to keep DHS open. A stalemate between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill over President Barack Obama’s execution actions on immigration has stalled a funding bill for the agency.
Without any serious negotiations or talk of a compromise, it’s likely DHS will run out of money at midnight on Friday and the blame game will begin.
READ: Homeland Security Secretary Johnson makes funding plea
Both sides agree Homeland Security shouldn’t be interrupted, but the GOP GOP-controlled House passed a measure that funded he agency but also blocked the administration’s immigration policies — something Senate Democrats won’t support.
Congressional Republicans are trying to keep the focus on a key group of six to eight Senate Democrats who criticized the President’s move last November to approve policies to allow 5 million undocumented immigrants to avoid deportations. On Friday, the White House spokesman pointed the finger squarely at the GOP.
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If the agency funding falls short at the end of the week the majority of DHS’ employees — screeners at airports, security agents at the nation’s borders, disaster response teams and secret service agents — would still have to report to work, but they will not get paid on time.
For now, Republicans aren’t worried about the political fallout of a shutdown. Even though most GOP members admit the 2013 government closing was bad for the party they say voters didn’t penalize them at the ballot box in the midterm election. The party won control of the Senate and expanded its majority in the House.
Conservatives see this battle as more than one about immigration. They want to set a marker down that they will not accept Obama’s efforts to circumvent the authority of the legislative branch.
“If the President can in fact get away with this kind of action — this executive amnesty action — which so many people have said violates the separation of powers, what’s next? Will this summer will he raise the debt ceiling without a vote of Congress?” Jordan asked.
