For the third time since Donald Trump returned to the White House, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is navigating a authorities shutdown combat — and for the second time, he’s leaning in.
The New York Democrat is main his caucus in refusing to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security with out reforms aimed toward reining in immigration enforcement operations throughout the United States.
“He is as aggressive as any of us in seeking remedies here,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., informed MS NOW of Schumer. “He feels in his gut as we do in ours.”
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The technique echoes Schumer’s techniques throughout the fall’s record-breaking shutdown, when Democrats demanded an extension of enhanced Obamacare tax credit as a part of a funding deal.
The distinction this time? Schumer has a negotiating accomplice.
A supply confirmed to MS NOW that Schumer has been in direct contact with President Donald Trump as they attempt to attain a deal. But whether or not Schumer — who has confronted criticism from the Democratic base over his dealing with of previous shutdown fights — can shut the deal this time stays an open query.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., referred to as Schumer’s management “essential to holding the line.”
“He’s been doing that,” Booker mentioned.
Other Democrats are additionally standing by Schumer, at the least till there’s a decision to this standoff.
When requested what it says about Schumer’s management if he lands a deal, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., mentioned all the things is “in flux” proper now.
“From my perspective, let’s just see how it goes,” Van Hollen mentioned.
On Wednesday, Schumer formally introduced his caucus’ calls for: an finish to “roving patrols” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and different immigration businesses, accountability for brokers who violate guidelines, mandating use of physique cams, and barring the sporting of masks.
“What ICE is doing is state-sanctioned thuggery. It must stop,” Schumer mentioned.
Under Schumer’s proposal DHS funding could be stripped from the bigger spending package deal, which incorporates 5 different appropriations payments funding all the things from the Department of Defense to the Department of Health and Human Services. While Congress would be capable to fund these different provisions, the DHS invoice would get a short-term extension so lawmakers may make adjustments.
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Whether Congress may really attain an eventual deal on DHS funding stays unclear. But for Democrats, the reply is virtually beside the level. Passing all however the DHS appropriations measure would symbolize 96% of federal discretionary spending — and Democrats seem largely detached to the prospect of a shutdown at DHS.
Not that there’d be a lot of a shutdown at DHS. For one, a lot of the company’s actions may very well be deemed important. And for an additional, Republicans gave Homeland Security a big pot of cash of their reconciliation invoice over the summer season.
Schumer’s resolution to threat a shutdown stands in stark distinction to the technique he forecasted only a few weeks in the past. After the record-breaking 43-day shutdown final fall, Schumer indicated Democrats wouldn’t flirt with one other shutdown forward of the Jan. 30 funding deadline.
And only a week in the past, the price range payments gave the impression to be on a glidepath.
But circumstances intervened.
On Saturday, amid rising public outcry over the dying of Alex Pretti at the palms of federal brokers in Minneapolis, Schumer introduced Democrats wouldn’t present the votes wanted to advance a sweeping authorities funding invoice if cash for DHS was included.
Heading into the week, a number of Senate Democrats approached by MS NOW supplied assist for Schumer’s hardline strategy.
“You saw a very strong statement from Sen. Schumer immediately,” Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., informed MS NOW, noting the Leader’s announcement got here “before” Democrats “even gathered as a caucus.”
“He’s speaking for the caucus. We’re all appalled at what happened,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., mentioned.
And Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., mentioned voters need Congress to restrain ICE, “and I think Chuck is hearing the same thing.”
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She added that Schumer appeared to have “a good vote count” heading into the shutdown combat. “He knows where everybody is, which I don’t — I’m sure that he did the first time or second time,” she mentioned.
Schumer has already led his get together by two funding fights in the previous yr — with combined outcomes each legislatively and for his personal political standing inside the get together.
Last spring, the New Yorker — who has served in the Senate for greater than 1 / 4 century — confronted huge backlash from the Democratic base and members of his personal get together on Capitol Hill after he refused to dam a GOP invoice to avert a authorities shutdown.
That resolution got here simply as Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative was at the top of its powers. But Schumer argued that permitting a shutdown risked giving Trump extra unilateral authority to slash federal employees and spending.
House Democrats significantly railed against the longtime Brooklyn politician, accusing him of betrayal and “surrendering leverage.” Some advised progressive New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ought to major him.
Already this midterm cycle, some Democratic candidates for the Senate have deflected when requested about whether or not they’d again Schumer remaining as the caucus chief. Some have outright referred to as for a change.
But by the fall, when a shutdown deadline once more approached, Schumer took a notably completely different tact — one which didn’t present a coverage win however served as a political winner.
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Over the course of the shutdown, Schumer and Senate Democrats demanded a deal on extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credit so enrollees may keep away from skyrocketing premiums.
The shutdown ended with a handshake deal between Republicans and a bunch of reasonable Democrats, who agreed to finish the deadlock in alternate for a later vote on extending these subsidies — a vote that will in the end fail. And as of the finish of January, the enhanced subsidies — which expired on Jan. 1, 2026 — haven’t been renewed. At least legislatively, Democrats misplaced the combat.
But politically, they might have salvaged a win. Democrats efficiently catapulted well being care to the middle of the midterm dialog — a difficulty the place Republicans are significantly weak and Democrats are significantly robust.
As the public grows more and more outraged at Trump’s immigration enforcement insurance policies, Schumer has as soon as once more positioned this combat for an additional political win, distancing Democrats from Trump’s insurance policies and calling consideration to his get together’s efforts to combat again.
Predictably, nevertheless, Democrats are downplaying that their combat is about politics in any respect.
“This is necessary,” Kim mentioned of reforming ICE. “The American people are scared.”
Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, who serves as Democratic whip, additionally informed MS NOW this is greater than politics.
“What’s at stake here is the reputation of this country around the world and to its own citizens,” Durbin mentioned.
Ali Vitali contributed to this report.
Kevin Frey
Kevin Frey is a congressional reporter for MS NOW.
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