Babin: Democrats Shut Down Homeland Security When America Needs It Most

This decision comes at a time when threats against our country are at an all-time high. The danger facing our country is not theoretical.

Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – This past week, Democrats had the opportunity to reopen the Department of Homeland Security and show the American people that they prioritize our safety above politics. Instead, 209 Democrats voted to keep DHS closed, choosing to protect the illegal aliens they allowed into our country rather than fund the agencies responsible for keeping Americans safe.

Shutting down the department responsible for protecting our homeland is reckless and irresponsible.

The Department of Homeland Security oversees some of the most critical agencies in the federal government, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and many others. These are the agencies Americans depend on every day. They ensure safe travel through our airports, help communities recover from disasters, protect our coastlines, and safeguard our nation’s leaders.

Because of the ongoing Democrat shutdown of DHS, TSA agents are working without pay, FEMA operations are being disrupted following a historic winter storm season on the East Coast, and homeland security personnel are being asked to do their jobs with unnecessary uncertainty.

This decision comes at a time when threats against our country are at an all-time high. The danger facing our country is not theoretical. We saw it play out in real time in Austin just days ago.

In the early morning hours, an extremist drove into the crowded Sixth Street entertainment district and opened fire on innocent Americans gathered outside a popular bar. Witnesses say the attacker circled the area before stopping his vehicle and shooting into a patio packed with young people. He was wearing a sweatshirt that read “Property of Allah” with an Iranian flag shirt underneath as he carried out the attack. By the time police stopped him, multiple victims were dead and more than a dozen others were injured. 
This horrific attack should serve as a wake-up call. At a moment when extremist threats are rising and tensions overseas are escalating, the last thing America should be doing is weakening our homeland security infrastructure

House Republicans already did our job. We passed a bicameral and bipartisan negotiated bill to provide full-year funding for the Department of Homeland Security and ensure these vital agencies can continue their work.

Democrats rejected it.

Instead of putting the American people first, they chose to play politics with our national security. Their priority remains protecting the illegal aliens they allowed into this country, even when some of those individuals have committed serious crimes. They would rather shut down the government than ensure that dangerous criminals are removed from American communities. The consequences of this decision are real.

Withholding funding from the department responsible for protecting our homeland during a period of growing crises is the definition of irresponsibility.

Republicans in the House remain focused on what matters most. Our priority is protecting the American people. That is why we will once again bring the House-passed full-year DHS funding bill to the floor, giving Democrats another opportunity to do the right thing.

If Democrats want to convince the American people that they care more about American citizens than illegal aliens, now is the time to prove it.