(A)Political - March 7th

Good morning everyone,

Not a slow week in D.C.. Let’s jump in!

DHS funding is still at a standstill (nearly a month of shutdown) despite a change in leadership. Trump states that he must be involved in the process for the next Iranian leader. Bondi is now facing a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee to answer for any potential wrongdoings regarding the Epstein investigation and file release.

• Democrats Remain Unchanged On DHS Funding Despite Noem Ouster

• Trump: I Have To Be Involved In Picking Iran’s Next Leader

• A.G. Bondi Faces Federal Subpoena Over Epstein

Democrats Remain Unchanged On DHS Funding Despite Noem Ouster

_{By: Atlas}

The Department of Homeland Security entered its fourth week without full funding on Thursday as congressional Democrats blocked a Republican-backed bill to reopen the agency for the third consecutive time, signaling that the firing of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was not the concession the party needed to end the standoff.

The DHS has been operating in a partial shutdown since February 14, when stopgap funding expired. Agencies deemed essential — including the Transportation Security Administration, FEMA, and the Secret Service — have continued operating with employees working without pay. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has furloughed a portion of its staff, leaving less than half of its workforce on the job at a time when Republicans say threat levels at home are elevated.

The Votes and the Math

The House passed a bill to fund DHS through September 30 on Thursday in a 221 to 209 vote. Only four Democrats crossed party lines to support it: Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, and Don Davis of North Carolina. That number was down from the seven Democratic votes the measure drew when it first passed the House in January — a data point Republicans pointed to as evidence the party's position was hardening rather than softening.

The real obstacle, as it has been throughout the standoff, is the Senate. A procedural vote to advance the bill failed 51 to 45, falling well short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to break ranks in the upper chamber.

The bill itself was not without Democratic fingerprints. It contained provisions Democrats had previously demanded, including a body-worn camera mandate for ICE agents, $20 million for camera procurement, and new required training on public engagement and de-escalation. Democratic leaders have since moved the goalposts, however, insisting those measures are insufficient.

The Noem Factor — and Why It Didn't Move the Needle

President Trump removed Kristi Noem as DHS secretary on Thursday, nominating Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. Republicans had anticipated that the move — given Noem had been a flash point for Democratic criticism — might help break the logjam.

It did not.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York rejected the premise that Noem's departure changed the terms of the dispute. "It's not like Kristi Noem was the one who was involved in negotiating anything," Jeffries told reporters. "She was a corrupt lackey. So we were dealing with the White House before, and we're going to continue to deal with the White House at this point."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated plainly that the change in leadership at DHS did not satisfy Democratic demands. "The rot runs deep," Schumer said. "If the president wants accountability, he must do more than fire one official — he must end the violence and rein in ICE." Schumer added that he intends to block Mullin's confirmation unless policy reforms are in place first.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who said funding negotiations are being driven out of the White House rather than at DHS, was similarly unmoved. "I think we're better off without her, but she wasn't running the department," Murphy said of Noem. "Stephen Miller runs that department and will continue to run the department so I don't really think much will change."

The Democratic Demand

The core Democratic position is that any DHS funding bill must include structural changes to how Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection operate in the field. The shutdown began following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — by federal immigration agents during operations in Minneapolis. Democrats walked away from a deal that had previously been gaining bipartisan support in the aftermath of those deaths.

"I want to see what the guardrails are before I vote on this funding," said Rep. Lou Correa of California. "I don't want us to have masked individuals in my community. I want to see body cameras. I want you to identify yourself when you're making an arrest."

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democratic appropriator, dismissed the Republican push as "political theater" and "a cynical attempt to extract more funding for lawless agencies." She indicated Democrats were prepared to fund every DHS component except ICE and CBP until reforms were enacted.

The Consequences Accumulating

Republicans argue the shutdown's costs are extending well beyond the immigration debate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota pointed out that the 50,000 TSA agents working without full pay will again pass through airports as Democratic lawmakers head home for a congressional recess — the same airports where, in 2025, TSA agents seized nearly 11,500 dangerous or prohibited items, including 6,669 firearms and 2,190 drug seizures.

The operational strain is real. The TSA has had to work 42.8 percent of the current fiscal year on furlough status. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which Republicans say has cancelled vulnerability checks on certain infrastructure as a result of the shutdown, is running with a diminished workforce.

Separately, $625 million in pre-allocated federal security grants for FIFA World Cup host cities — including MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which is scheduled to host eight matches including the July 19 final — has not been distributed. FEMA was in the final stages of reviewing applications when the shutdown began. Miami's host committee COO told a House Homeland Security Committee hearing that the "drop-dead date" for receiving its expected $70 million grant was within 30 days, warning that delay "could be catastrophic for our planning and coordination."

Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming added a harder-edged dimension to the security argument, noting that a lone-wolf shooting at an Austin, Texas establishment over the weekend killed three Americans. The shooter was reportedly wearing clothing referencing Iran. "Now that America has struck Iran, the number one threat to our homeland is the threat of terrorism," Barrasso said. "The warning lights are flashing red."

Mullin, who said he would meet with Schumer and attempt to earn Democratic support during his Senate confirmation process, indicated flexibility in tone but not on the substance of enforcement. "If they have real concerns, I'm going to listen to it. I'm going to see if it's practical," Mullin said. "But nothing's going to prevent me from doing my job. I'm going to enforce the policies and the laws that Congress has passed."

With the House heading into recess and the Senate unable to advance legislation, the shutdown is guaranteed to extend at least another several weeks — and the two sides remain as far apart as they were when the funding lapsed three weeks ago.

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