The White House lashed out at Senate Democrats, accusing them of smearing federal law enforcement officers as “Trump’s militia” amid a bitter standoff over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
The sharp exchange came on Friday, March 27, hours after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated what he called a partial victory in funding talks.
Democrats had pushed to keep money flowing to most of DHS while holding back full support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection operations.
Schumer posted on X that Republicans had “caved to our demands” to avoid giving a “blank check” to those agencies.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt fired back quickly, calling out Democrats and branding them anti-law enforcement.
“Democrats are anti-law enforcement,” she wrote. “Referring to ICE agents as ‘Trump’s militia’ is disgusting and detached from reality.”
Leavitt pointed to a real-world example from the day before to drive home her point. On March 26 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, an off-duty ICE agent stepped in when a 1-year-old boy stopped breathing in his father’s arms while waiting in the TSA security line.
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According to the Department of Homeland Security, the agent rushed over after hearing the father’s cries, took the unresponsive child, and performed the Heimlich maneuver.
After nearly two minutes without breathing, the infant started again. The family was able to continue with their flight. DHS shared a video of the moment and called the officer’s quick action heroic.
The airport incident happened as the DHS funding fight dragged into its fifth week, causing disruptions at airports across the country.
With parts of the agency operating on limited funds or relying on prior allocations, TSA lines became longer in some places, and travelers felt the strain.
President Trump deployed some ICE personnel to help at checkpoints, arguing it keeps security tight even during the impasse.
Democrats, however, say any new money for ICE and CBP must come with reforms. Lawmakers have called for requirements such as judicial warrants for certain operations, body cameras for agents, and rules against masking during enforcement actions.
Several deadly incidents involving federal officers earlier this year in Minneapolis boosted their demands for tighter oversight.
Messy Negotiations.
A short-term extension ran out last week without a full deal. Republicans floated compromises that would fund most of DHS while carving out some enforcement functions.
Democrats rejected those offers, insisting on “key steps to rein them in.” Schumer and Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on appropriations, said they would send a counterproposal with more restrictions.
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The White House sees the rhetoric as crossing a line. Officials argue that labeling career agents as a personal militia ignores the daily work they do, from border security to rescuing Americans in trouble.
Deployment of ICE agents at airports sparks reactions.
Travelers at major hubs have been reacting differently. Some appreciate the additional hands from ICE that ease TSA backlogs. Others are concerned that immigration enforcement and regular airport security don’t mix well.
However, the rescue at JFK Airport quickly went viral online, with many people calling it a classic example of agents going above and beyond the call of duty to serve the public.
House Republicans have passed bills to fully reopen DHS, but Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked them, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance.
Both sides blame the other for playing politics while air travelers and federal workers pay the price.
President Trump has stayed vocal on the issue, pushing for strong border measures and full support for law enforcement.
The partial funding patch will keep some operations going, but uncertainty hangs over ICE and CBP.
