White House reaches out to moderate Democrats to sidestep Schumer and reopen DHS

To try to unlock the stalemate that keeps the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) since Feb. 14, White House border czar Tom Homan, met Thursday on Capitol Hill with a group of centrist Democratic senators, notably sidelining Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer(D-N.Y.).

Schumer had until now been a key figure on his party's negotiating team, along with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.); Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee; and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), vice chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who did not back last year's deal to reopen the government.

Democrats and Republicans open a channel for dialogue

The meeting with Tom Homan included such figures as Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Patty Murray, as well as independent Angus King (Maine), who caucuses with Democrats.

After the meeting, which lasted more than an hour, Homan noted that talks will continue. "We’re going to keep talking. We need to get the government open and we’re going to keep having discussions."

For her part, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), chair of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, appreciated the meeting, "This is the first time our Democratic colleagues have sat down with us and obviously I really appreciated Homan and his leadership in the room."

"That’s the first step in the right direction," she added.

However, Senator Murray indicated to reporters that the parties remain "a long ways apart" in their positions.

No deal without substantive reforms

A Democratic source told The Hill that it is difficult for Republicans to sideline Schumer and negotiate only with centrists. "The White House may try to pick people off, but we made it clear that they wouldn’t be able to. We’re happy to talk about the best ways to rein in ICE and Border Patrol, and we need Republicans to work with us to finally put these reforms into law."

For her part, Cortez Masto said in a statement released by her office Thursday afternoon that White House negotiators "have a lot of work to do."

"Democrats have made their demands very clear. I’m glad that the White House is talking with us, but they have a lot of work to do. My colleagues and I are not going to vote for any deal that doesn’t include real reforms on warrants, masks, training, and our other demands," the senator said in her statement.

The White House has put concessions such as the adoption of body cameras on the table, but Democrats consider them insufficient. Schumer and other leaders sent their latest counteroffer Monday night, although negotiations continue to make no progress.

Republicans press on as internal rift grows among Democrats

Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) accused Democrats of dragging out the impasse for political reasons: "The Democrats seem intent on dragging out this political issue."

Republican sources indicate that they see more chance of agreement with seven or eight moderate Democrats than with Schumer directly. However, internal pressure in the Democratic caucus, especially from the progressive wing, complicates any quick concessions.

So far, there is no agreement in sight, and DHS remains underfunded. The move to go around Schumer evidences divisions in the Democratic Party and the Trump Administration's determination to seek alternative avenues to resolve the shutdown.