Speaker Johnson Faces Tough Choices    02/02 06:13

   House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough days ahead trying to muscle a federal 
funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown 
as debate intensifies over the Trump administration's sweeping immigration 
enforcement operations.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough days ahead trying 
to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged partial 
government shutdown as debate intensifies over the Trump administration's 
sweeping immigration enforcement operations.

   Johnson signaled he is relying on help from President Donald Trump to ensure 
passage. Trump struck a deal with senators to separate funding for the 
Department of Homeland Security from a broader package after public outrage 
over two shooting deaths during protests in Minneapolis against Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement. Under the plan approved by the Senate, DHS would be funded 
temporarily to Feb. 13, setting up a deadline for Congress to try to find 
consensus on new restrictions on ICE operations.

   "The president is leading this," Johnson, R-La., told "Fox News Sunday."

   "It's his play call to do it this way," the speaker said, adding that the 
Republican president has "already conceded that he wants to turn down the 
volume" on federal immigration sweeps and raids.

   A first test will come Monday afternoon during a committee meeting when 
Johnson will need his own GOP majority to advance the package after Democrats 
refused to provide the votes for speedy consideration. Johnson said he is 
hopeful work can wrap up for a full House vote, at least by Tuesday.

   Democrats dig in on ICE changes

   Democrats are demanding restraints on ICE that go beyond $20 million for 
body cameras that already is in the bill and want to require that federal 
immigration agents unmask and identify themselves and are pressing for an end 
to roving patrols, amid other changes.

   "What is clear is that the Department of Homeland Security needs to be 
dramatically reformed," said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New 
York on ABC's "This Week."

   Jeffries said the administration needs to begin negotiations now, not over 
the next two weeks, on changes to immigration enforcement operations.

   "Masks should come off," he said. "Judicial warrants should absolutely be 
required consistent with the Constitution, in our view, before DHS agents or 
ICE agents are breaking into the homes of the American people or ripping people 
out of their cars."

   Republicans make their own demands

   At the same time, House Republicans, with some allies in the Senate, are 
making their own demands, as they work to support Trump's clamp down on 
immigrants in the U.S.

   The House Freedom Caucus has insisted on fuller funding for Homeland 
Security while certain Republicans are pushing to include other measures, 
including the SAVE Act, a longshot Trump priority that would require proof of 
citizenship before Americans are eligible to participate in elections and vote.

   Johnson said he would be talking to lawmakers over the day ahead to see what 
it will take to win over support.

   Partial government shutdown drags on

   Meanwhile, a number of federal agencies are snared in the funding standoff 
as the government went into a partial shutdown over the weekend.

   Defense, health, transportation and housing are among those that were given 
shutdown guidance by the administration, though many operations are deemed 
essential and services are not necessarily interrupted. Workers could go 
without pay if the impasse drags on. Some could be furloughed.

   Lawmakers from both parties are increasingly concerned the closure will 
disrupt the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which they rely on to help 
constituents in the states after storms and other disasters.

   This is the second time in a matter of months that federal government 
operations have been disrupted as Congress is using the annual funding process 
as leverage to extract policy changes. Last fall, Democrats sparked what became 
the longest federal shutdown in history, 43 days, as they protested the 
expiration of health insurance tax breaks.

   That shutdown ended with a promise to vote on proposals to extend the 
Affordable Care Act tax credits. But with GOP opposition, Democrats were unable 
to achieve their goal of keeping the subsidies in place. Insurance premiums 
spiked in the new year for millions of people.

   Trump wants quick end to shutdown

   This time, the administration has signaled its interest in more quickly 
resolving the shutdown.

   Johnson said he was in the Oval Office last week when Trump, along with 
border czar Tom Homan, spoke with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New 
York to work out a deal on immigration enforcement changes.

   "I think we're on the path to get agreement," Johnson said on NBC's "Meet 
the Press."

   Body cameras, which are already provided for in the package, and an end to 
the roving patrols by immigration agents are areas of potential agreement, 
Johnson said.

   But he said taking the masks off and putting names on agents' uniforms could 
lead to problems for law enforcement officers as they are being targeted by the 
protesters and their personal information is posted online.

   "I don't think the president would approve it -- and he shouldn't," Johnson 
said on Fox.

   Democrats, however, said the immigration operations are out of control, and 
must end in Minneapolis and other cities.

   Growing numbers of lawmakers are calling for Homeland Security Secretary 
Kristi Noem to be fired or impeached.

   "What is happening in Minnesota right now is a dystopia," said Sen. Chris 
Murphy, D-Conn., who led efforts to hold the line for more changes.

   "ICE is making this country less safe, not more safe today," Murphy said on 
"Fox News Sunday."

   "Our focus over the next two weeks has to be reining in a lawless and 
immoral immigration agency."