Mike Johnson slams Democrats for putting 'illegal aliens' over Americans as DHS shutdown continues

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., took direct aim at Senate Democrats Thursday evening on "Hannity." saying they were putting illegal immigrants ahead of American national security with their vote to keep the Department of Homeland Security closed.

Johnson told Sean Hannity, "They're (Senate Democrats) playing games with the American people, their safety and security."

"They care more about criminal illegal aliens than they do American citizens," Johnson added.

This comes as Senate Democrats again blocked Republicans’ attempt to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after background negotiations appear to have fizzled out. It came shortly after Kristi Noem, the former South Dakota governor who led President Donald Trump’s DHS in his second term, was ousted from her position Thursday.

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Johnson said that this means that men and women working to protect borders, shores, communities, and airports are working without pay or remain on furlough.

House Democrats largely voted to allow the DHS shutdown to keep going on Thursday, shrugging off Republicans' concerns about the increased domestic terror threat amid the U.S.-Israeli operation in Iran.

The bill passed the House by a 221 to 209 vote, with all but four House Democrats voting against it. It's the Senate, however, where passing that DHS funding bill is actually key to ending the shutdown. The upper chamber voted again Thursday on the original legislation that passed the House in January, but it failed to reach the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster.

Johnson said Democrats refused to acknowledge the need to protect American citizens over illegal aliens.

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"At the State of the Union, the president gave them an opportunity to stand and applaud. He said, ‘What is the most important job of the federal government – to protect American citizens or illegal aliens?’ We all stood and clapped, of course, and they sat on their hands."

Johnson said, "They're showing you with their words and their deeds what they stand for. It is not just foolish. It is dangerous."

According to Johnson, DHS has sent out warnings that there are sleeper cells of terrorists "probably" throughout the country, as well as lone wolves seeking to harm Americans.

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"This is not a game," Johnson said. "And we're calling on the Democrats to stop playing these foolish political stunts. And to get to the job of getting Homeland Security funded, we have to get it done."

With Noem out as the DHS Secretary in favor of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Johnson said she should be applauded for her time in the role.

"Secretary Noem should be congratulated for carrying out the president's agenda and helping to make the country safer," he said.

Johnson added, "She had a difficult job coming in after four years of the wide-open border Joe Biden left us and all the chaos that ensued because of it."

Johnson said Mullin will be "an extraordinary secretary."

"He's a tough guy," Johnson said. "He's smart. He's pragmatic. He'll get the job done for the president and continue this agenda."

Fox News' Alex Miller and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.