Virginia's Democratic senators are maintaining their position against funding the Department of Homeland Security without immigration enforcement reforms, following a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University and a separate murder case involving an illegal immigrant with an extensive criminal history.
Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have consistently voted with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer against Republican efforts to reopen DHS, seeking stringent reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. The standoff comes amid heightened concerns about terrorist activity following Operation Epic Fury in Iran.
On Thursday, the FBI announced it was investigating the ODU shooting as an act of terrorism after identifying the alleged shooter as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former member of the Army National Guard who was previously convicted of supporting ISIS. The shooting left one person dead and two others wounded.
What the Left Is Saying
Senate Democrats argued they have repeatedly attempted to fund portions of DHS while Republicans blocked those efforts. Kaine noted that Senate Democrats have moved to fund the TSA, CISA, the Coast Guard and other DHS components that Republicans have blocked.
"Senate Democrats have repeatedly moved to fund — and Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked — TSA, CISA, the Coast Guard and other entities within DHS that help keep us safe," Kaine said in a statement.
Warner expressed heartbreak over the loss of Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah and praised Old Dominion University students who subdued Jalloh. However, he placed responsibility on FBI Director Kash Patel, citing mass firings of experienced FBI agents and counterterrorism experts.
"Following Director Patel's mass firings of experienced FBI agents and counterterrorism experts, this tragedy emphasizes serious concerns about whether his leadership has left Americans more vulnerable to threats," Warner said.
On the murder case involving Abdul Jalloh, an illegal immigrant charged with killing Virginia resident Stephanie Minter, Kaine questioned why ICE should receive more funding when the agency repeatedly released the suspect despite his criminal record.
"How about ICE cooperating with counties?" Kaine said. "ICE had this guy repeatedly and let him go." Kaine noted that ICE's handling of such cases weakened during the Trump administration, beginning in 2017-2018.
Warner called Minter's murder a tragedy and acknowledged that someone arrested 30 times should not remain in the country, while maintaining his position on requiring DHS reforms before full funding.
What the Right Is Saying
Senate Republicans have warned of the necessity to reopen DHS, citing concerns about increased terrorist activity in the U.S. following Operation Epic Fury in Iran. Republicans have pushed for a clean funding bill to reopen the agency without additional policy conditions.
Republicans have blocked Democratic efforts to pass standalone funding bills for individual DHS components, arguing that a comprehensive approach is needed to ensure homeland security functions properly.
The party has emphasized that DHS funding is critical for national security, particularly in light of the ODU terrorism case and ongoing concerns about border security and immigration enforcement.
What the Numbers Show
The shooting suspect, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was a former Army National Guard member previously convicted of supporting ISIS. The FBI is investigating the ODU shooting as an act of terrorism.
The murder victim, Stephanie Minter, was killed by Abdul Jalloh, an illegal immigrant with a criminal record spanning 30 arrests dating back to 2014. Abdul Jalloh was charged with murder earlier this year.
Senate Democrats have voted against multiple Republican-sponsored DHS funding bills, aligning with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's position. Republicans have controlled the floor and blocked Democratic funding efforts for individual agencies within DHS.
The Bottom Line
The ODU shooting and the Minter murder case have intensified debate over DHS funding, with Democrats pointing to agency failures in tracking dangerous individuals while Republicans argue full funding is essential for national security. Warner and Kaine show no signs of budging from their reform demands, while Republicans warn of vulnerabilities during the partial shutdown. The impasse continues as both sides blame the other for keeping DHS partially closed amid heightened terrorism concerns.