Republicans take another crack at Homeland Security funding, citing Iran war [View all]
Source: AP
Updated 12:06 AM EST, March 5, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are invoking the war in Iran and the prospect of retaliatory terrorist attacks as they tee up votes Thursday on a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security.
The House already approved a DHS spending bill in January, but it faltered in the Senate as Democrats insisted on changes to immigration enforcement operations following the shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. As a result, funding for the department lapsed on Feb. 14.
Republicans are calling on Democrats to reconsider their vote in the wake of the conflict in Iran. Both the House and the Senate are expected to hold votes on the matter. "The military action in Iran makes it all more urgent and crucial to have a fully funded, fully staffed DHS across all its departments," House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
It did not appear the GOP's strategy had changed the position of Democratic lawmakers, though. They said they are prepared to fund most of the agencies at the department, just not Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection. "It’s the same lousy, rotten bill that does not put any guardrails or constraints on ICE or CBP after federal agents shot American citizens in the street," said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/iran-homeland-security-funding-32c81b70baf9971cab6f4f0501df9dc7
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