Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) admitted Sunday that a federal government shutdown would not stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, even as Democrats continue to resist a spending package that includes ICE funding.
During an appearance on The Sunday Briefing, Fetterman acknowledged that ICE remains fully funded under current law, meaning enforcement activities will continue uninterrupted regardless of shutdown politics in Washington.
“It’s absolutely true,” Fetterman said. “A shutdown isn’t really going to deprive DHS or ICE of funding because those resources are already secured through the big, beautiful bill.”
Trump’s Border Funding Is Already Locked In
President Donald Trump’s signature legislation set aside nearly $200 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring long-term funding for ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
That funding structure effectively removes ICE from annual budget standoffs, allowing immigration enforcement and border security operations to continue for years without interruption.
As a result, Democrats now face limited leverage in shutdown negotiations when it comes to immigration policy.
“We’re going to have to figure out a way forward,” Fetterman said, suggesting bipartisan talks on immigration enforcement are unavoidable.
Shutdown Politics Losing Their Power
Fetterman also warned against repeating past shutdowns, especially following last year’s historically long closure that disrupted government services nationwide.
“People in the Senate realized we can’t shut things down the way we would never shut down our military,” he said.
While Senate Democrats and the White House reached a temporary funding agreement last week, the House is still reviewing the proposal as the partial shutdown enters its third day.
The deal would temporarily separate DHS funding from the broader budget package and implement a short-term continuing resolution, giving lawmakers two weeks to negotiate immigration enforcement provisions.
Fetterman Acknowledges Trump’s Border Win
Fetterman reiterated his support for deporting criminal migrants and credited President Trump for securing the southern border.
“I told him to take the win,” Fetterman said, referring to a recent conversation with the president. “The border is secure, and that matters.”
However, the senator attempted to draw a distinction between removing criminals and broader immigration enforcement, arguing against targeting non-criminal migrants embedded in local communities.
“I don’t think Americans want to see hardworking people unnecessarily caught up,” he said.
Bottom Line
Despite political gridlock and shutdown threats, ICE remains fully funded, border enforcement continues, and Democrats are increasingly forced to acknowledge the reality of Trump’s immigration policy victories.
For now, the numbers — and the law — are on ICE’s side.