Seven of the eight Senate Democrats who voted with Republicans to reopen the government in November stated between 6:46 PM and 7:15 PM UTC on Jan. 26, 2026, they will vote against proceeding with this week's Department of Homeland Security funding bill because ICE needs to change its conduct, according to X posts by reporter Emma Wilkins and Sen. Maggie Hassan. Sen. Hassan said in a statement posted at 7:09 PM UTC, "I will vote against proceeding with this week’s bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security because ICE needs to significantly change the way it is conducting itself - and Congress should be doing everything it can to make sure that happens." Wilkins noted Sen. John Fetterman has not yet weighed in. In response, Sen. Katie Britt, who chairs the DHS appropriations subcommittee, urged against a government shutdown, noting DHS includes FEMA and the Coast Guard, according to an X post by reporter Andrew Desiderio at 7:02 PM UTC. Britt called the death of Alex Pretti tragic and reaffirmed her support for law enforcement, blaming inflammatory left-wing rhetoric and sanctuary city policies for endangering officers. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated President Trump supports Second Amendment rights amid questions about FBI Director Kash Patel's comments on firearms at protests, per an X post by The Bulwark at 7:04 PM UTC. Leavitt added that Greg Bovino will continue leading CBP nationwide while Border Czar Tom Homan serves as the main point of contact in Minneapolis, according to reporter Aaron Rupar. The developments follow DHS confirmation earlier on Jan. 26 of body-worn camera video from Pretti's fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis, as previously reported.
