Senate Democrats Signal They May Reject Next Short-Term Homeland Security Funding Without Real Progress

Senate Democrats are warning they may not back another short-term Homeland Security funding extension when the current stopgap expires on Feb. 13, escalating pressure on Republican negotiators who say they may need more time to reach an immigration-enforcement agreement.

Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, told Semafor she would not support another temporary measure without substantive progress. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D‑Ga.) said it is "tough to imagine moving forward without some real movement," while Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin called it "wrong" to ask Democrats to ignore the two-week deadline.

Democrats also dismissed a recently announced nationwide body-camera rollout by Homeland Security officials as insufficient to address their concerns.

What Democrats Want

Sen. Brian Schatz (D‑Hawaii) framed the party's position bluntly: de-escalation in Minnesota is "table stakes" — a prerequisite before substantive talks can begin. "The negotiation is about a statute. Executive action at this point gets you in the room," he said, stressing that temporary administrative steps alone will not replace legislative solutions.

"The negotiation is about a statute. Executive action at this point gets you in the room." — Sen. Brian Schatz (D‑Hawaii)

Outlook

The standoff sets up a potential showdown as the Feb. 13 deadline approaches: Democrats are signaling they will insist on tangible progress on immigration enforcement and public-safety measures before approving another stopgap, while Republicans push for more time to complete talks. Lawmakers from both parties will have to decide whether to compromise on a longer-term agreement or risk a funding lapse.