U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said on March 9 that Democrats have prolonged a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for more than three weeks, citing stalled negotiations and lack of compromise in funding discussions.
The ongoing DHS shutdown affects tens of thousands of employees and leaves critical security operations unfunded, which has raised concerns about national safety and government functionality. Thune addressed these issues during remarks delivered on the Senate floor.
Thune said, “We are more than three weeks into the Democrats’ DHS shutdown. And Democrats keep telling us that they’re serious about funding this agency. But their actions speak louder than their words.” He criticized Democratic proposals as lacking compromise, stating, “No give-and-take. Just ‘take it or leave it.’”
He also highlighted the impact on specific agencies within DHS, including Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). According to Thune, “Democrats want to fund the parts of the Department of Homeland Security that they like, and keep the rest shut down indefinitely.” He referenced comments from a Sioux Falls police chief regarding border measures reducing fentanyl seizures in South Dakota’s largest city: “I think it’s safe to say that some of the measures taken within the southern border are paying dividends within our community.”
Thune further noted disagreements over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol. He quoted Senator Murray as saying Democrats “cannot, we will not, cut a blank check – funding without reforms – for ICE and Border Patrol.” Thune responded by saying no one is asking for such a measure and pointed out that previous agreements included oversight provisions.
Thune represents South Dakota in the U.S. Senate, focusing on agriculture, energy, economic development, veterans’ support, and community outreach according to his official website. He serves as Senate Republican Whip with committee roles in Finance; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; and Commerce, Science and Transportation according to his official website.
Concluding his remarks on the Senate floor, Thune said he hopes Democrats will return to negotiations: “So, are they going to continue to keep Homeland Security and hardworking Americans in jeopardy? I guess we’ll find out soon enough… but I hope that posture changes and they reengage in keeping important agencies of our government… funded – and those employees at work.”
