WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that demands made by Democrats for new restrictions on federal immigration officers are “unrealistic” and warned that the Department of Homeland Security will shut down next week if they do not work with Republicans and the White House.
Democrats say they will not vote for a DHS spending bill when funding runs out unless there are “dramatic changes” at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal law enforcement agencies in the wake of the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis last month.
The Democratic leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, released an expanded list of 10 detailed proposals on Wednesday night for restraining President Donald Trump’s aggressive campaign of immigration enforcement. Among the demands are a requirement for judicial warrants, better identification of DHS officers, new use of force standards and a stop to racial profiling.
Congress is trying to renegotiate the DHS spending bill after Trump last week agreed to a Democratic request that it be separated from a larger spending measure and extended at current levels for two weeks while the two parties negotiate. The deal came after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, and some Republicans agreed that new restrictions were necessary.
But with nearly a week gone, a shutdown is becoming increasingly likely starting Feb. 14 as Republicans have been cool to most of the Democrats’ requests.
“This is not a blank check situation where Republicans just do agree to a list of Democrat demands,” said Thune, R-S.D. “The only way to get reforms to ICE is to agree to a bill.”
As of now, Thune said, “we aren’t anywhere close to having any sort of an agreement.”
In addition to ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the homeland security bill includes funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration. If DHS shuts down, Thune said, “there’s a very good chance we could see more travel problems” similar to the 43-day government closure last year.
Schumer, D-N.Y., said he is “astounded to hear” Republicans say his party’s proposals were political or unworkable.
“It’s about people’s basic rights, it’s about people’s safety,” Schumer said. If Republicans do not like the ideas, he said, “they need to explain why.”
Schumer and Jeffries, D-N.Y., have made several demands, including no masks for officers, judicial warrants and better federal coordination with local authorities. The list they released Wednesday added several new items, including a stricter use of force policy, legal safeguards at detention centers and a prohibition on tracking protesters with body-worn cameras.
Democrats say Congress should end indiscriminate arrests, “improve warrant procedures and standards,” ensure the law is clear that officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant and require that before a person can be detained, it's verified that the person is not a U.S. citizen.
They also want an end to racial profiling, saying DHS officers should be prohibited from stopping, questioning or searching people "based on an individual’s presence at certain locations, their job, their spoken language and accent or their race and ethnicity.”
For officers conducting immigration enforcement, Democrats say that in addition to officers taking off their masks and showing identification, DHS should regulate and standardize uniforms and equipment to bring them in line with other law enforcement agencies.
Schumer called it a “gut check moment for Congress" as the immigration enforcement operations have rocked Minneapolis and other U.S. cities. But Republicans were dismissive.
Wyoming's John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican senator, said the demands are “radical and extreme” and a “far-left wish list.”
Sen. Katie Britt, who is helping lead negotiations, said the list is “a ridiculous Christmas list of demands" and warned that time is running out before the deadline.
“I encourage them to talk to the White House,” she said. “We only have one week left.”
Thune has also encouraged Democrats and the White House to talk. It is unclear whether they are or whether Democrats would be willing to back down on any of their demands.
Some Republicans have demands of their own, including adding legislation that would require proof of citizenship before Americans register to vote and restrictions on cities that they say do not do enough to crack down on illegal immigration.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said it is up to Republicans to ensure the government does shut down because they are in charge.
“The American people want this abuse to stop,” Murphy said.
Other lawmakers are searching for options to prevent another partial shutdown.
One idea being floated is to essentially fund some of the other agencies within DHS -– the Coast Guard, airport operations under TSA and disaster assistance from FEMA.
“Why not take that off the table?” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose state is in need of FEMA funds from recent disasters.
“If it doesn’t look like they can get it done,” he said about the immigration enforcement overhaul, “I really think they should look at a la carte funding of agencies.”
Some Democrats have said they agree, but Thune said Thursday that splitting apart the DHS appropriations bill to single out ICE would “defund law enforcement.”
Splitting the bill would mean essentially cutting ICE loose by allowing it to go without its routine federal funding because the agency already has such a robust budget from Trump’s tax and spending cut bill from last year.
ICE is expected to receive about $10 billion in the annual appropriations bill, a fraction of the $175 billion-plus for homeland security for the administration’s mass deportation agenda.
Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
MILAN (AP) — Of all the elite players making up the U.S. women’s national team’s roster, coach John Wroblewski insisted the one he couldn’t do without at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games was Hayley Scamurra.
It’s a decision Wroblewski made upon taking over the team four years ago. and one immediately validated in the Americans’ 5-1 Olympic tournament-opening win over Czechia.
Scamurra — regarded as the team’s 13th “Jill-of-all-trades” forward — scored twice while logging just 6:45 minutes of ice time over 11 shifts.
“I was adamant with it. We weren’t going to Milan without her at the start of this quad. She carries so much spirit to your team,” Wroblewski said. “I’m not gonna speak for every other federation, but I just can’t image there’s anyone that works harder and wants it more than she does. It’s inspiring, frankly.”
The 31-year-old from Buffalo, New York, is the daughter of former NHL defenseman Peter Scamurra. And though she built a reputation of being a top defensive forward during her four-year college career at Northeastern, Scamurra went mostly overlooked by USA Hockey until making the national team in 2019.
And now she’s doubled her goal total in making her second Olympic appearance after winning silver in 2022.
“I just do my best to bring that energy in every shift that I have. It feels a little extra special to be able to help on the scoreboard and physically, too,” Scamurra said before addressing her journey.
“Honestly I think it just shows it’s never too late to keep chasing your dreams,” she said. “So I think, it just shows with hard work that anything is possible for sure.”
Alex Carpenter had a goal and assist, and captain Hilary Knight and Joy Dunne also scored for the Americans, who improved to 8-0 over the Czechs in international play. Aerin Frankel, making her Olympic debut in net, stopped 13 shots.
Laila Edwards had an assist while becoming the first Black female to represent America in hockey at the Olympics.
Barbora Jurickova scored Czechia’s lone goal. She was set up on a breakaway as she exited the penalty box to cut the Americans lead to 3-1 midway through the second period. Klara Peslarova finished with 37 saves in an outing Czechia was out-shot 31-9 through two periods.
The day’s only other scheduled Group A game between defending Olympic champion Canada and Finland was postponed to Feb. 12. The Finns’ roster was down to eight skaters and two goalies, with the remaining 13 players dealing with a stomach virus that hit the team on Tuesday.
The Americans were greeted a loud cheer and a “U-S-A!” chant began at puck drop.
Among those on hand in a nearly packed 5,000-plus seat Rho Ice Hockey Arena, were U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived about 12 minutes in, and departed with just over six minutes remaining. The large delegation that included USA Hockey officials and a security detail, filled a section of seats directly behind the penalty box and immediately opposite the U.S. bench.
Carpenter opened the scoring with a power-play goal with 4:05 left in the first period. The tournament-favored Americans then blew the game open with three goals in the second period in building a 4-1 lead.
Scamurra’s first goal put the U.S. up 3-1 and came when she dug the puck out of a scrum to the right of the net, and got a low shot off to beat Peslarova through the legs. She then closed the scoring in the third period, by one-timing in a pass from Kelly Pannek.
“Honestly, it’s inspiring,” Knight said of Scamurra. “You can put her anywhere. ... I was hoping she’d get a third to be honest.”
The Czechs are making their second Olympic appearance after debuting in 2022, and have quickly risen to become a power in the four years under coach Carla MacLeod. Czechia has won two bronze medals and finished fourth twice over the past four world championships.
MacLeod called the outing a foundation her players can build on.
“You’re not worried, sort of, about the outcome at this point. You’re just are we generating chances? Are we playing our way? Are believing in what we’re doing?” she said. ” And I saw all that. And for me, that’s a great thing for us, as we continue to build and get better.”
Next up for the U.S. is facing Finland on Saturday, and the uncertainty of how many Finns will be healthy enough to play.
“I hope that they’re OK, let’s just leave it at that. That’s the most important part,” Wroblewski said.
In an earlier Group B game, Lina Ljungblom scored twice in Sweden’s 4-1 comeback win over Germany. The win already puts the Swedes in the driver’s seat to win their pool and secure a better seeding for the quarterfinals.
Host team Italy defeated France 4-1 to post its first victory in making its second Olympic appearance. France is making its Olympic debut. The game was the played at the main rink, the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which faced scrutiny over construction delays.
AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth contributed to this story.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Sweden's Lina Ljungblom, center right, scores her sides opening goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Germany and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, Pool)
Czechia's Klara Seroiszkova slides into Czechia's Klara Peslarova, right, as United States' Hilary Knight scores her sides fourth goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between United States and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
United States' Grace Zumwinkle, center, celebrates a goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between United States and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (Sun Fei/Pool Photo via AP)
United States' Hilary Knight, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides fourth goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between United States and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
United States' Hayley Scamurra, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides fifth goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between United States and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
