'It's gonna be hard': DHS shutdown continues as Dems blame one Trump official for holdup
The ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown has left lawmakers pinning the blame on one Donald Trump administration official.
Members of the Democratic Party believe Stephen Miller is the man behind the madness, with a slate of trouble affecting members of the public and the Republican Party. Democrats say they will not compromise on the outline for the proposed funding bill, which at present would give Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials further funding.
The motion failed by a vote of 51 to 46. Centrist Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans to advance the funding bill. The bill needs 60 votes to advance. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday, "Why won’t they budge to give an inch on ICE, which is highly unpopular and even the president has said hasn’t done things right?"
Fellow Dem reps believe the issue stems from Stephen Miller's hardline on policy, with the GOP backing the Homeland Security adviser. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), told Politico, "Stephen Miller has a view that is outside of the American mainstream, and so it’s gonna be hard."
"If Susie Wiles were in charge of the discussion, that would be a different conversation." Fellow rep Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said, "Things go back to the White House, and Stephen Miller, who’s an extremist, says ‘no'."
An unnamed official speaking to the outlet suggested there is "no blueprint" to ongoing plans from the Republican Party, though there are "multiple people" working on ending the shutdown.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) suggested a deal must be struck quickly, as ongoing shutdowns affect the agents out of work more than anyone.
Cramer said, "When the pain goes from the poor TSA agents — who deserve to be paid, and whose families deserve to have them paid — when that pain gets translated to travelers, it gets worse. And that’s what we sure hope we can avoid in the next few days or week or two."