House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated he does not want to separate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding from broader Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations during the partial government shutdown. Republican Rep. Nick LaLota of New York told CBS News he shares that view, noting the House has already approved DHS funding twice and should fully fund the whole department rather than carve ICE out on its own.
LaLota said he visited Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents at LaGuardia Airport and emphasized the role of continuing resolutions as a traditional stopgap when lawmakers cannot agree on specific policy riders. He argued that keeping DHS funded under existing levels is a reasonable short-term remedy while negotiations continue.
He criticized Democrats for repeatedly changing demands and said Republicans have offered several concessions — including measures on body cameras and training, limits on enforcement near certain locations, and clearer officer identification — only to face additional requests. LaLota warned that longstanding Democratic opposition to ICE and calls for reduced border enforcement should not be used to block funding for the entire department, which also covers cybersecurity, the Coast Guard, and TSA operations.
On the Senate’s strategy of separating ICE funding to attract bipartisan support, LaLota said he would consider proposals as they arrive but expressed frustration that some Democrats have sought to defund ICE for years. He asserted that voters rejected ‘‘open-border’’ policies in the 2024 elections and described it as unfair that some Senate Democrats remain inflexible on border enforcement issues.
LaLota also addressed efforts to attach voting-related provisions — such as voter ID and measures aimed at ensuring only citizens vote, associated with the SAVE or SAVE America acts — to border or reconciliation packages. He said those principles are broadly popular but questioned whether bundling them with complex border funding is the best route, warning that combining contentious items could jeopardize passage of both.
As a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, LaLota said he is willing to compromise to end the shutdown. He described meeting TSA workers who missed paychecks and stressed that many are blue-collar employees facing financial strain. He urged Democrats to state clearly what they want to reopen DHS and said he is open to signing a deal that does not deliver every priority so long as the department is fully funded and its employees are paid.
LaLota declined to draw firm conclusions about an Air Canada jet crash at LaGuardia that involved an airport fire truck, saying investigators should review the facts. He noted initial information suggested staffing and training appeared to be appropriate and said the National Transportation Safety Board report should shape any judgments. He reiterated that safe airports depend on adequately funded TSA and DHS operations and reiterated his support for fully funding the department to protect pay and safety across agencies.