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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said he expects the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to shut down over a partisan funding feud as lawmakers remain deadlocked on key reforms. He broke with Democratic Party leaders on the issue, backing border enforcement and tougher voter ID laws.
“I absolutely would expect that it’s going to shut down,” Fetterman said on “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Without intervention, DHS funding will expire on Friday after being carved out of a larger government funding package. A shutdown would impact TSA workers, FEMA operations and border security enforcement.
While Fetterman said he does not support shutting down the government, he acknowledged he expects Democrats and Republicans to remain divided past the deadline.
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Sen. John Fetterman speaks to reporters as he leaves the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2026, as lawmakers negotiate federal funding to avoid a partial government shutdown. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Democratic lawmakers have pushed for changes to DHS amid nationwide protests and heightened scrutiny. In January, DHS immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota left two Americans dead, and both deaths are under investigation.
Democrats sent Republicans a list of proposed reforms that GOP lawmakers have rejected. Their demands included a requirement for agents to unmask, mandatory body cameras and judicial warrants for arrests.
While some Democrats have called for the disbandment of DHS, Fetterman said he supports securing the border and deporting illegal immigrants who commit crimes. He urged his colleagues to focus on those shared priorities.
“Secure our border… deport all the criminals,” he said.
A Border Patrol Tactical Unit agent sprays pepper spray into the face of a protester attempting to block an immigration officer’s vehicle in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 7, 2026. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
“Those are very fundamental things that most Americans signed up for.”
Voter ID is another issue dividing the two parties. Democrats refuse to support the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAFE) Act, which would require states to verify voter eligibility.
Republicans argue the act would strengthen election integrity, while Democrats say it could make voting harder for people without photo ID.
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Sen. John Fetterman speaks to a reporter as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a vote on Dec. 3. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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Fetterman said that voter ID wasn’t an “unreasonable” ask, and pointed to states like Wisconsin that already have similar protections.
“It’s not a radical idea for regular Americans to show your ID to vote,” said Fetterman, who also rejected comparisons to Jim Crow laws.
“I don’t ever want to vote to shut our government down again,” he added.
