Jan 7, 2026 - Politics & Policy

Furious Democrats threaten government shutdown after Minneapolis shooting

This is police officers — Minneapolis Police officers look on as they hold a perimeter around the scene of a shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Rank-and-file Democrats are starting to make serious noise about using the threat of a government shutdown to force substantive changes at ICE.

Why it matters: Their anger, after an ICE officer shot and killed a 37-year-old woman Wednesday in Minneapolis, sets them on a collision course with party leaders.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said earlier this week that a shutdown was not on the table.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), asked if the appropriations process should be used to constrain ICE, told Axios: "We're focused right now on … advancing the Affordable Care Act tax credits."

But progressive lawmakers see the end-of-January funding cliff as a leverage point to exploit, as they fume about the Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Kristi Noem.

"Democrats cannot vote for a DHS budget that doesn't restrain the growing lawlessness of this agency," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said on X following the shooting.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said: "We can't just keep authorizing money for these illegal killers. That's what they are, this rogue force."
"Statements and letters are not enough, and the appropriations process and the CR expiring Jan. 31 is our opportunity," said Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.).

Between the lines: Getting both sides to agree on funding for a department as divisive as DHS was always going to prove challenging.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) told Axios today: "I'm having a hard time seeing how we're gonna come to agreement on it."
"We need to arrest that ICE agent for a excessive use of power," Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told Axios. "And we should be opposing the hundreds of billions of dollars going to a lawless agency."

The other side: Among the Republicans defending ICE after the shooting are several members of leadership, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and House Republican conference chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.).

"Our brave ICE agents put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities from dangerous criminals. May God bless and protect them in their efforts," Emmer said in a statement.
DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: "An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots."

Go deeper: Anger erupts in Congress over Minneapolis ICE shooting

Add Axios on Google

Furious Democrats threaten government shutdown after Minneapolis shooting

What to read next