Original Source
Senate Fails to Fund DHS Amid 'SAVE America Act' Debate
Prolonged DHS Shutdown and Funding Stalemate
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has reached its one-month mark, with the Senate failing four times to advance a funding bill. Only Democratic Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) voted in favor, highlighting the lack of bipartisan consensus. This impasse has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees without their first full paychecks, disrupting public services. Senator John Thune (R-SD), the Senate Majority Whip, announced that President Donald Trump's 'SAVE America Act' will be debated next week. However, President Trump and Republican hardliners' calls to change the filibuster rule have been rejected by Senator Thune due to concerns about 'unintended consequences,' making the bill's passage uncertain.
'SAVE America Act' and Voter Suppression Concerns
Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) strongly criticized the 'SAVE America Act,' calling it a 'voter suppression bill' rather than a 'voter ID law.' He emphasized that democracy functions best when as many eligible people as possible participate, arguing that the bill would create obstacles for voters who may not have a passport or women whose names have changed due to marriage. Senator Padilla stated that rates of voter fraud are 'extremely, extremely, extremely rare,' suggesting the bill is 'a solution in search of a problem.' He argued that lawmakers should focus on pressing issues like rising housing costs, skyrocketing healthcare prices, high gas prices, and the war in Iran. Political analyst Claire McCaskill noted that Democrats were willing to fund most parts of DHS, such as the Coast Guard and TSA, but Republicans blocked this in pursuit of reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Calls for ICE Reforms and DHS Secretary Nomination
Senator Padilla condemned ICE and CBP for 'roving patrols,' 'stopping people without judicial warrants,' 'breaking into people's homes,' and 'shooting at cars with families,' labeling these actions as 'out of control' and 'unconstitutional.' He noted that such enforcement activities have continued across the country, including in California, even after the Minneapolis events. Regarding President Trump's nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to lead DHS, Senator Padilla stressed that a change in personnel does not guarantee a change in policy, practices, or procedures. He advocated for 'common sense reforms' for immigration enforcement, including mandatory body cameras and prohibiting detentions without a judicial warrant. Reverend Al Sharpton echoed concerns that President Trump intends to use the 'SAVE America Act' as a tool for voter suppression to secure victories in the midterm elections, quoting Kristi Noem's (a figure mentioned in the original context) statement about ensuring 'the right people vote' to elect 'the right leaders.'
*Source: YouTube: MSNBC (2026-03-13)*
