Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) suggested that funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) be split from funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Cruz made the suggestion during an interview with the Hill, explaining that “Democrats have gotten so extreme and unreasonable,” that he doesn’t think that they will come around to funding DHS without changes being made to ICE. The Texas senator brought up the idea of having ICE and CBP be funded “through reconciliation.”
“If that’s where the Democrats are, I’ve suggested let’s fund ICE and CBP through reconciliation,” Cruz told the outlet. “That Republicans can do with just 50 votes, we can do that relatively quickly and the Democrat lunacy on open borders can be put to an end.”
Cruz also brought up how “There have been four domestic attacks by radical Islamic terrorists,” adding that DHS — which is in charge of “preventing terror attacks,” has been dealing with the ongoing lapse in funding since February 14, as lawmakers have not come to an agreement on funding the agency.
The suggestion from Cruz is reportedly “gaining momentum” among other Senate Republicans as they are reportedly “pessimistic about reaching a deal,” according to the outlet. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) shared with the outlet that he was “open to” Cruz’s suggestion.
Cruz also brought up how as spring break travelers have flooded airports in the past few weeks, many airports through the United States are seeing long TSA lines, and have recommended that passengers arrive anywhere between three to four hours before their flights.
Due to the lapse in DHS funding, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers have been faced with working without receiving their paychecks.
“TSA agents have now missed two paychecks in a row,” Cruz told the outlet, adding that “over 300 of them have resigned.”
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, President Donald Trump threatened to put ICE agents at airports “where they will do Security,” including arresting illegal aliens in the U.S., if Democrats don’t agree to fund DHS.
“If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia, who have totally destroyed, with the approval of a corrupt Governor, Attorney General, and Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, the once Great State of Minnesota,” Trump said.
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