Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., on Thursday criticized Democrats over the possibility of a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, accusing them of using the standoff to push efforts to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Johnson said Democrats "really just have that one message right now and it's to defund ICE," adding, "That's what all of this is about."
A potential shutdown could impact agencies including TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard. However, Johnson argued that "Border Patrol and ICE funding wouldn't really be impacted that much due to the One Big Beautiful Bill funding."
"Democrats are just being obnoxious and obstructionist," Johnson said.
"They want to defund police. That didn't go over that well. Now they've got their martyrs because of the, you know, trained activists that impeded and obstructed justice.
"And two people were tragically shot. And they're using those martyrs to now try and defund ICE."
Johnson added, "I don't think it's going to work in the end."
Seeking to reassure viewers about the impact of a shutdown, Johnson said that "when you supposedly shut down, government doesn't shut down if you're deemed an essential worker."
He noted that "TSA, a lot of FEMA workers, most people within [the] Department of Homeland Security would be deemed essential."
"Now, they won't get paid," he acknowledged, referencing prior shutdown disputes.
Johnson said he had promoted legislation during a previous standoff to ensure timely pay.
"During the shutdown, I was trying to promote, and Democrats voted against, the Shutdown Fairness Act, which just pays people on time."
Johnson accused Democrats of leveraging shutdowns for political advantage.
"Democrats like the showdowns because the press always blames Republicans. They can rely on that," he said.
"They don't mind using shutdowns as leverage. They don't mind using government employees as pawns in their dysfunctional games."
He concluded by calling it "really remarkable that an agency created to protect us after 9/11 is being defunded over something like this."
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James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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