Sen. Angus King
Immigration Talks Expose Congress’s Fragile Bipartisanship as DHS Deadline Looms
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) was surprised when Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt dismissed a Democratic package of immigration-enforcement proposals as a “ridiculous Christmas list,” prompting King to text her and ask what she found objectionable. King called her one-word response unproductive and said the demands — including limits on masks for agents, stricter judicial-warrant requirements and barring enforcement at schools — merited engagement rather than dismissal.
Britt pushed back. She faulted Democrats for not laying out their requests earlier and said lawmakers were not genuinely negotiating. “Respectfully, he’s entitled to his own opinion, but he’s not entitled to his own facts,” she told reporters as lawmakers raced toward a Feb. 13 deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
High Stakes, Low Confidence
The exchange highlighted how difficult bipartisan deals have become in a Congress already strained by shutdown threats and recent partisan fights. Negotiations to revive expired health-insurance premium subsidies collapsed this week, with Republican negotiator Sen. Bernie Moreno blaming Senate leaders for politicizing the issue. That breakdown deepened skepticism that lawmakers can reach a deal on immigration before DHS funding runs out.
“That’s not a very productive response. The list is pretty reasonable,” said Sen. Angus King. “To say that list is ridiculous — which is a word she used — is ridiculous.”
Key Disputes
Democrats’ ten-point request includes several enforcement and oversight changes. Republicans fired back: some oppose banning masks for agents over safety concerns, others called judicial-warrant requirements “unworkable,” and GOP leaders insist on measures such as banning sanctuary cities and adding abortion-related funding guardrails — demands Democrats reject.
Senators including Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) have proposed separating most DHS funding (Coast Guard, TSA, etc.) from a distinct ICE funding negotiation to try to break the logjam. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called the approach “interesting” but said the Senate must “meet the moment” and finish appropriations despite the political heat.
Why Compromise Is Hard
Observers point to two structural problems: a shrinking cadre of centrist dealmakers and intense pressure on party leaders to align tightly with their bases and former President Trump. Even modest bipartisan achievements this Congress — for example, passage of several appropriations bills and narrowly negotiated laws like the recent crypto legislation — are now notable exceptions rather than the rule.
The coming days will test whether lawmakers can turn exchanges like the King–Britt spat into a constructive negotiation or whether partisan brinkmanship will produce another stopgap measure — or a shutdown — when DHS funding expires.
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