Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen got called out for lying about the reason Democrats defunded the Department of Homeland Security during an argument with ABC’s This Week host Jonathan Karl on Sunday.
Karl questioned why the Democratic Party is withholding funding from the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Response Acency (FEMA), and the US Coast Guard, when ICE remains funded to the tune of $75 billion through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed last year.
The current shutdown, which has been ongoing for more than 40 days, has caused massive delays and chaos at airports across the country, leading Trump to deploy ICE to assist with airport security and sign an executive order to ensure TSA agents are paid.
“And yet, the only thing that has been assured throughout all of this is that ICE already has the money because, as you said, $75 billion passed in the budget bill last year. So, you’re holding up the entirety of the Department of Homeland Security because you object to ICE and you want changes to ICE, but through it all, ICE continues to have the money it needs,” Karl said.
Van Hollen responded by claiming it was a “false statement,” and that the Democrats are “not holding up all of the money for all the Department of Homeland Security.” He continued, “We have said repeatedly, repeatedly, we should fund TSA, we should fund FEMA, we should fund the Coast Guard,” noting that they are in fact holding that funding hostage in order to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“And fighting over that additional $10 billion, you are holding up the rest of Department Homeland Security,” Karl fired back, leading Van Hollen to become visibly frustrated and continue lying..
“We’re not holding it up!” he stammered, throwing his arms in the air. “No, John, we’re not holding it up. We have now voted 10 times,” he continued, before Karl interrupted and shut him down.
“Right, but you’re holding it up unless it doesn’t include money for ICE. That’s just a fact,” he said.
WATCH:
TRANSCRIPT:
Karl: I guess what’s confusing here is you have fought and blocked the funding for the Department of Homeland Security because you object, as you just outlined, to what ICE has been doing, and you wanted to force changes. And yet, the only thing that has been assured throughout all of this is that ICE already has the money because, as you said, $75 billion passed in the budget bill last year. So, you’re holding up the entirety of the Department of Homeland Security because you object to ICE and you want changes to ICE. But through it all, ICE continues to have the money it needs.
And yet, the only thing that has been assured throughout all of this is that ICE already has the money because, as you said, $75 billion passed in the budget bill last year. So, you’re holding up the entirety of the Department of Homeland Security because you object to ICE and you want changes to ICE, but through it all, ICE continues to have the money it needs.
Van Hollen: John, we’re not holding up all of the money for all the Department of Homeland Security. That’s just a false statement. We have said repeatedly, repeatedly, we should fund TSA, we should fund FEMA, we should fund the Coast Guard.
We are not prepared to give ice another $10 billion on top of the monies they already have and are using in many of these lawless operations. We’re not going to give them another $10 billion unless they make fundemental reform, including holding people accountable for the killing of American citizens.
Karl: And fighting over that additional $10 billion, you are holding up the rest of Department Homeland Security.
Van Hollen: We’re not holding it up!
Karl: I mean, you’re saying—
Van Hollen: No, John, we’re not holding it up. We have now voted 10 times—
Karl: Right, but you’re holding it up unless it doesn’t include money for ICE. That’s just a fact.
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