Tapper Presses Booker on DHS Funding Impasse

On Sunday's edition of CNN's State of the Union, host Jake Tapper pressed Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey about the ongoing funding impasse for the Department of Homeland Security, questioning whether Democrats should move to fully restore the agency's appropriations amid its second month of partial shutdown.

The exchange highlighted deep partisan divisions in Congress over how to address the lapse in funding, which has left essential operations strained. Tapper asked Booker directly, "Isn't it time for Democrats to reopen and refund DHS?" Booker replied that his party had repeatedly sought to pass targeted funding for key subagencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the United States Coast Guard. He argued that Republicans had blocked those efforts by insisting on a comprehensive bill that covers the entire department.

"Yeah, they want the whole agency funded," Tapper responded, underscoring the Republican position. Booker acknowledged the point but maintained that Democrats could not support additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, citing concerns over its...