As shutdown persists, White House slams Democratic DHS counterproposal as ‘unserious’

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has rolled into its fifth day, and the White House isn’t holding back on its frustration with Democrats. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaking during a press briefing, confirmed that while President Trump still hasn’t had any direct talks with Democratic leadership, the White House and administration members have been engaged in “good faith negotiations with Democrats.” 

According to Newsweek, despite those talks, the counterproposal sent over clearly didn’t impress. Leavitt stated, “Last night, they sent over a counterproposal that, frankly, was very unserious. And we hope they get serious very soon because Americans are going to be impacted by this.”

So, why are we in this mess? Funding for the DHS officially ran out on Saturday. Congressional Democrats have made it clear they won’t approve more money for the agency until certain limits are placed on federal immigration enforcement operations. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted to X on Wednesday, saying Democrats are “not giving DHS a cent until ICE is reined in – including use of force standards to which they can be held accountable.” 

Considering the reports of violence and the public backlash, demands for limits aren’t unreasonable

The Trump administration has been carrying out a series of immigration enforcement operations across several states, which has fueled the Democrats’ concerns. For instance, in Minnesota, two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal agents last month during these operations. It’s an awful situation, and it really underscores why Democrats are pushing for accountability.

Leavitt, however, sees it differently, “Democrats are the reason the Department of Homeland Security is currently shut down. They have chosen to act against the American people for political reasons.” She also highlighted the impact on other Federal teams like FEMA, the Coast Guard, and TSA, stating that they “will be working without paychecks for no good reason other than the Democrats wanting to pick a fight with Donald Trump.”

Unlike the lengthy government shutdown we saw last fall, which lasted 43 days, this current shutdown only affects agencies under the DHS. This includes key groups like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Depending on how long this standoff continues, some federal workers for these agencies could indeed miss paychecks, which is a tough situation for anyone.

It’s worth noting that ICE and Customs and Border Protection operations are actually expected to continue their normal functions. This is thanks to money that was already allocated from Trump’s 2025 tax and spending cut law. It makes the already divisive arguments around ICE operations that much more controversial, as there is no reason for the agency to change its modus operandi.