Sen. Angus King (I‑Maine) said Sunday that he cannot vote for a spending bill that includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security because of what he called aggressive tactics by federal agents that he believes amount to an attempt to intimidate the American people. King’s comments on CBS’s “Face the Nation” add to growing concern in Washington over the appropriations package and raise the prospect of a partial government shutdown if DHS funding remains tied to the larger spending bill.
Host Margaret Brennan noted that Senate leadership has made clear that Democrats will not support the current appropriations package if it includes DHS funding. King responded that he personally “hates shutdowns,” pointing to his role in helping end the last shutdown, but said he simply cannot support the bill under the present conditions. The senator said that what has occurred in his own state and in Minneapolis shows a need for a different approach.
King suggested a legislative strategy to avoid a shutdown: separate the DHS funding bill out of the broader appropriations package. He noted that when Republicans in the House separated the other appropriations bills, they passed overwhelmingly, covering nearly all federal government funding apart from DHS. If the Senate were to follow that approach, King argued, it would allow negotiators to address DHS on its own merits with open and honest discussions about accountability and policies.
King said that in his view, the current situation reflects federal agents acting without sufficient oversight and restraint. He referenced scenes where agents were masked and actions were taken that he believes restricted basic freedoms, such as photographing law enforcement activity. King said he believes these tactics send the wrong message and undermine public trust in law enforcement, and he characterized them as part of a troubling pattern.
The senator said that any discussion of funding security agencies must include “guardrails” to ensure the rights of citizens and lawful protesters are protected. He said that holding DHS accountable while still funding critical homeland security functions should be possible if leaders on both sides are willing to negotiate in good faith.
King’s stance aligns with Senate Democrats who have resisted the inclusion of DHS funding in the broader package, insisting that changes be made to address concerns over immigration enforcement policy and the behavior of federal agents. The standoff over DHS funding risks leaving the government unfunded in part if lawmakers cannot reach a compromise before current funding expires.
King reiterated that he understands the importance of funding homeland security operations, but said he believes that voters expect accountability and transparency from federal agencies. In calling for a split in the bills, he suggested a path forward that could preserve government operations while addressing serious concerns about enforcement tactics and civil liberties.
