Pelosi blasts GOP ‘anti-immigrant grandstanding’ in DHS fight

House Democrats on Friday called on Republicans to immediately pass a “clean” bill funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the deadline quickly approaches.

On the steps of the U.S. Capitol, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) explained that after next week, Congress will only have four days remaining in session before the Feb. 27 deadline to fund DHS.

“Four days left: the clock is ticking. When asked whether the House would take up the DHS spending bill, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy [R-Calif.] said: ‘Why do we have to?’  Here’s why: Forcing the Department of Homeland Security to shut down endangers the American people,” Pelosi said. 

{mosads}Pelosi said the GOP “must stop holding our homeland security hostage to their anti-immigrant grandstanding.”

The House-passed bill that Republicans want to pass in the Senate would fund the DHS, but reverse President Obama’s immigration actions. Senate Democrats have repeatedly filibustered the measure.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Friday that Democrats only need a small portion of the GOP conference to join them in passing a bill excluding those riders.

“There are 188 [of Democrats co-sponsoring a clean DHS funding bill] — all we need is 218. That means that 10 percent of the Republicans who are responsible and want to make sure their country is safe could join us and pass today the Homeland Security bill, clean, as it has already been agreed upon by Republicans and Democrats,” Hoyer said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has already scheduled another vote on the House bill when Congress returns after its five-day recess next week and Democrats are expected to block it again.