A Senate Democrat is openly conditioning his support for keeping the federal government funded on the removal of one of President Donald Trumps closest policy advisers, escalating an already volatile fight over immigration enforcement and the future of the Department of Homeland Security.
According to Fox News, Senate Democrats are rallying around a new slate of restrictions and structural reforms they hope to impose on DHS, using the looming funding deadline as leverage to curb the agencys authority. While the current DHS appropriations bill already contains several bipartisan constraints, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and most of his caucus are now firmly opposed to the measure in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti during immigration operations in Minnesota.
As Democrats search for the precise guardrails they want to bolt onto DHS, Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., has dramatically raised the price of his vote by demanding the ouster of White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, who also serves as the Presidents top Homeland Security adviser. "We all know whos really running things in this White House," Gallego declared on X, adding, "Stephen Miller is the brains behind the most unhinged and depraved policies weve seen in generations."
Gallego doubled down on his rhetoric, insisting that "Americans are tired of his insane, extremist vision for this country" and calling for immediate action from the Oval Office. "Its time for him to go. Trump needs to fire him. Now. No funding DHS with that creep calling the shots," he wrote, effectively tying basic government operations to the removal of a single presidential adviser.
Senate Republicans, wary of a repeat of past shutdown showdowns, are urging Democrats to negotiate in good faith rather than weaponize appropriations to settle ideological scores. They argue that engaging now on policy details could produce a more responsible outcome than the brinkmanship that characterized the previous shutdown, which damaged public trust without delivering meaningful reform.
Yet anger on the left remains focused on both Miller and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, whose jobs may now become litmus tests for Democratic votes on funding. Still, it is unclear whether Democrats will ultimately risk a shutdown over personnel demands, or whether their outrage will be channeled into narrower policy constraints on DHS operations.
Miller and Noem have faced mounting criticism for their handling of the Minneapolis shootings, particularly their decision to brand Alex Pretti a domestic terrorist in the immediate aftermath of his death. That characterization has fueled accusations of overreach and political spin, even as the White House scrambles to contain the fallout and defend its national security posture.
Notably, some Republicans are also signaling that the administrations response has been mishandled and that accountability is warranted at the top of DHS. Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have both indicated they either want Noem fired or expect her to resign, breaking with the usual deference GOP lawmakers show to a Republican administrations Cabinet choices.
Tillis directed his criticism squarely at both Noem and Miller, blasting their conduct as unprofessional and politically reckless. He argued that labeling Pretti a domestic terrorist and then passing that assessment to the President was "amateur hour at its finest," a stinging rebuke from within the Presidents own party.
Pressed on whether Noem should be removed, Tillis did not hesitate, answering "100%" while declining to endorse impeachment proceedings that House Democrats are increasingly eager to pursue. "I'm not going to get into impeachment," he said, emphasizing instead that "I think it should be a management decision. She needs to go."
Murkowski, who previously voted to confirm Noem, signaled that her confidence in the Secretary has evaporated and urged the President to reassess his team at DHS. She said Trump must reconsider who "he has in place as the Secretary of Homeland Security," adding, "I would not support her again, and I think it probably is time for her to step down," a clear sign that dissatisfaction with DHS leadership now spans both parties even as conservatives warn against allowing the left to use a funding crisis to dismantle border enforcement by other means.
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