Senator Chris Van Hollen clashed with Jon Karl during an interview on ABC News over what Democrats achieved amid the ongoing funding dispute affecting the Department of Homeland Security. With the partial shutdown stretching beyond six weeks, Karl pressed Van Hollen on the “bottom line,” questioning what tangible gains Democrats secured despite the prolonged standoff. Van Hollen argued that Democrats aimed to fully fund agencies like TSA while pushing for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which he described as operating “lawlessly.
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Karl countered that ICE already had funding and suggested Democrats were holding up broader DHS operations without achieving policy changes. Van Hollen rejected that characterization, insisting Democrats supported funding for other DHS components such as FEMA and the Coast Guard but opposed granting ICE an additional $10 billion.
The exchange highlighted the continuing political tension over immigration enforcement, agency funding priorities, and the broader impact of the shutdown on government operations. ⚖️?️
