Raids by approximately 3,000 officers that have been ongoing for weeks. who arrest undocumented immigrants spark nationwide outrage in the US. The tense situation led the White House to… the most serious crisis of President Donald Trump's second term.
Now the opposition is going on the offensive: at midnight on Friday, the country is at risk of another “government shutdown” [shutdown]. Democrats are calling for a halt to further budget funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes ICE and CBP.
Horrifying images from Minneapolis have Democrats demanding “immediate reforms.” Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy [polityk Partii Demokratycznej i prawnik polskiego pochodzenia] demands, among other things, a mask ban and mandatory search warrants.
Democrats want to capitalize on public anger, but the solutions they propose carry great risks. We present the behind-the-scenes of the brutal fight in Congress.
The rallying cry of “Not a cent for ICE!” rings in the halls of Congress.. Democrats announce that their action will continue at least until changes occur and the brutal actions of the services end.
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Although Democrats are in the minority in both houses of Congress, they hold the reins in this fight. In the Senate, a majority of 60 votes is needed to continue financing the government. At least seven Democrats would have to vote with Republicans. The DHS budget totals $64.4 billion. [prawie 226 mld zł, według obecnego kursu walut]of which approximately PLN 10 billion [35 mld zł] was allocated to ICE.
The risk is also high for Democrats
A new government shutdown could hurt Trump politically. Just a few weeks ago, the United States experienced the longest government shutdown in its history, lasting 43 days. Support for the US president in polls then dropped sharply.
However, the risk is also high for the opposition. Already last year, Republicans accused Democrats of resorting to blackmail when they linked demands for health care funds to the lockdown. Ultimately, the opposition had to give in, but to no avail.
Additionally, ICE remains ready and operational even in the event of a temporary government shutdown thanks to previously approved budget appropriations.
However, after his death in Minneapolis public anger is enormous. Pretti was preceded in death by a mother of three, 37-year-old Renee Good. This time, Democrats feel much more political support.
According to the first survey by “The Economist”, only 20 percent Americans believe that the shooting of Pretti was justified. It seems the clock is ticking again in Washington.
The longest shutdown
It lasted from October 1 to November 13 [12 listopada czasu w USA]i.e. 43 days in total. Then the House of Representatives voted 222-209 on the provisional budget. The bill was previously passed by the Senate. Approximately Donald Trump signed it at 4 a.m. Polish time, which meant the end of the longest shutdown in US history.
Americans then breathed a sigh of relief because the shutdown also meant paralysis of many sectors of the economy, which affected the everyday lives of citizens. There are many examples. Food stamps for millions of Americans were put into question, federal workers worked without pay or were furloughed, thousands of flights were canceled and passengers faced significant delays.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.