Progressive Democrats are once again flirting with the nuclear option — a government shutdown — and this time the cause célèbre is defunding Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an ICE agent defended himself during a violent encounter in Minneapolis.
The latest round of outrage stems from the January 7 shooting of a 37-year-old woman who, according to the Department of Homeland Security, used her vehicle as a weapon and attempted to run over ICE agents during an enforcement operation. DHS didn’t mince words, calling the act “domestic terrorism” and stating that the officer fired only after fearing for his life, the lives of fellow agents, and the safety of the public.
But in today’s Democratic Party, facts are negotiable and optics are everything.
Instead of condemning the attack or even waiting for the investigation to conclude, progressive lawmakers immediately pivoted to their favorite tactic: blame law enforcement, label it “rogue,” and threaten to shut down the government unless Republicans agree to neuter ICE.
With the January 31 government funding deadline approaching, left-wing Democrats are openly discussing withholding support for Department of Homeland Security funding unless immigration enforcement is curtailed. Senate leadership would prefer to talk about healthcare subsidies, but the activist wing of the party has other ideas.
“Democrats cannot vote for a DHS budget that doesn’t restrain the growing lawlessness of this agency,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) declared on X, apparently redefining “lawlessness” as enforcing immigration law and not allowing yourself to be run over.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) went even further, branding ICE agents “illegal killers” and referring to them as a “rogue force.” Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) helpfully reminded everyone that the expiring continuing resolution is their “opportunity” — because nothing says moral clarity like using federal workers and taxpayers as bargaining chips.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) joined the chorus by calling for the ICE agent involved in the shooting to be arrested, while decrying “hundreds of billions of dollars going to a lawless agency.” Apparently, attempting to flee in a vehicle after striking an officer is now considered peaceful dissent.
This rhetoric puts Democrats on a collision course with their own leadership. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer initially insisted a shutdown was “not on the table,” before promptly leaving the door cracked open when discussing unrelated healthcare priorities. Translation: a shutdown is absolutely on the table — it’s just being dressed up as compassion.
Americans have seen this movie before.
Last year’s 43-day government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — ended only after Democrats extracted partisan concessions, including healthcare subsidies and funding streams benefiting illegal immigrants. President Donald Trump blasted the maneuver at the time, accusing Democrats of trying to “extort” taxpayers while over a million federal workers missed paychecks and millions lost food assistance.
Several Democrats later admitted the suffering was the point.
Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) said the shutdown was “worth it.” Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) agreed. Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) acknowledged families bearing the brunt of the pain was part of the leverage strategy. Empathy, apparently, has its limits.
Now, with SNAP benefits and federal staff pay insulated this time around, Republicans warn Democrats may feel even freer to roll the dice again. “There’s a real possibility we go into a shutdown January 30,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), noting that the usual political pressure points are blunted.
Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) was more blunt: “They want chaos in our country.”
And chaos is the word Democrats keep using — though not in the way they mean.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey claimed federal immigration enforcement is “causing chaos in our city.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ominously suggested the National Guard could be used “if it is a rogue federal agent.” Schumer piled on, asserting that ICE agents “create chaos, and they even create deaths.”
Yet nationwide homicide data tells a different story. Murders dropped roughly 16% in 2025, according to analyst Jeff Asher. Minneapolis, however, remains an outlier — with 76 homicides in 2024, up from 72 the year before and far above pre-pandemic norms.
So while Democrats shout about chaos caused by ICE, the actual chaos continues in cities governed by progressive policies that demonize law enforcement and excuse criminal behavior — right up until someone gets hurt.
Once again, the message from the left is clear: if enforcing the law makes activists uncomfortable, then the law must go — even if it means shutting down the government to get their way.
