Democrat who broke with party says his DHS funding vote a 'mistake' after 2nd Minneapolis ICE shooting
One of the seven House Democrats who voted with Republicans to advance a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill last week is now characterizing his vote as a mistake,...
By Fox News · Fox News
One of the seven House Democrats who voted with Republicans to advance a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill last week is now characterizing his vote as a mistake, highlighting growing unrest among moderate Democrats over the department's funding even as lawmakers look to escape a looming government shutdown. In the wake of a deadly clash between immigration enforcement and agitators in Minnesota over the weekend, Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., apologized publicly for his vote in a post to Facebook. "I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis," Suozzi said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a key agency in President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown efforts. DEMS RELENT, SENATE SENDS $174B SPENDING PACKAGE TO TRUMP'S DESK AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS OVER DHS FUNDING "I hear the anger from my constituents and I take responsibility for that. I have long been critical of ICE’s unlawful behavior, and I must do a better job demonstrating that," he added. The other six Democrats contacted by Fox News Digital did not respond to inquiries about their votes. Suozzi's comments come as Democrats in the Senate are signaling growing opposition to passing the DHS bill and funding the government ahead of a possible shutdown on Jan. 30. The DHS bill, which includes funding for ICE, is part of a four-bill package that the House of Representatives passed last week. The political outlook of the DHS funding bill changed over the weekend with the death of Alex Pretti. According to DHS, ICE officers shot and killed Pretti, 37, in a confrontation on Saturday when Pretti attempted to disrupt law enforcement activities while in possession of a firearm. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has said agents acted in self-defense. Pretti is the second civilian shot by ICE in the past month. The Friday before Pretti’s death, Suozzi and six other Democrats broke with the rest of their party to advance a DHS funding…