'We must stop ICE's violence': Senator Elizabeth Warren slams Trump administration amid DHS shutdown

Amid the ongoing political deadlock over a crucial bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and end the partial government shutdown, Senator Elizabeth Warren on Monday strongly reiterated her stance towards recent actions committed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Demanding an end to ICE violence, Warren accused the Republicans of allowing atrocities without accountability. "Republicans in Congress seem to think that ICE should be allowed to mask up, teargas kids, drag people out of their cars, throw people to the ground, and shoot people in broad daylight without any real accountability," she wrote on X.

In the wake of two fatal incidents involving ICE agents and the DHS failing to acknowledge or investigate the incidents as an instance of federal overreach, Democrats have pushed for a set of reforms. On February 12, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) also introduced the ICE Accountability Act, seeking the establishment of an "ICE/CBP monitoring commission" that sits in the legislative branch, reports directly to Congress, and is fully independent of the President and Executive Branch. "After the Trump administration's immigration agents shot and killed U.S. citizens, the American people are demanding accountability," Warren had said after introducing the Bill.

Last Thursday, Democratic Senators voted for the fourth time in four weeks against a House-passed measure to fund all of DHS. Meanwhile, GOP Senators rejected a motion to fund all of DHS except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection. Republicans have accused the Democrats of hampering security by refusing to fund the DHS, particularly at a time of heightened military activity. Democrats, meanwhile, have accused GOP Senators of blocking essential funding to other DHS departments.

During Thursday's Senate proceedings, Democrats had proposed a series of narrower bills to fund specific agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, accused the Republicans of holding "TSA agents' paychecks hostage because they want to provide more money to ICE, without basic reforms to protect Americans' rights and safety." 

On Tuesday, March 17, Senate Democrats reportedly sent a counteroffer to end the shutdown that entered Day 32. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Tuesday that the offer "didn't change much from where we were." Speaking on the floor later, Senator Thune said that the Democrats' offer "was basically the same as their first two offers: no compromise, and still filled with a number of non-starters that would make it more dangerous for law enforcement officers to do their jobs." Blaming Democrats for causing the shutdown, Thune added that "this is no time for Democrats' political games. Republicans are at the table and ready to work whenever Democrats are done playing."