Let's talk about the DHS shutdown, Trump's big day, and realities.... - Belle of the Ranch

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about the DHS shutdown, Trump's big day, and realities.

Okay, so we're in a partial government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security is unfunded, but the effects of this shutdown probably won't be what people think. But before we get to that, we'll go over how we got here.

Trump initiated a series of immigration crackdowns. The tactics used created chaos in the communities being impacted and were of questionable effectiveness. The support Trump enjoyed based on the idea of deportations dropped as people were confronted with the realities of its implementation. Things came to a head after a series of incidents left multiple people shot. And now there's word that the feds have opened a perjury probe looking at the statements of ICE agents in relation to one of those shootings.

As support fell, Democrats began pushing for reform. Despite the injuries and deaths, Republicans refused. DHS funding was caught in the middle. Republicans didn't budge and now we're in a partial government shutdown. However, ICE operations will likely continue.

The one Big Beautiful for Billionaires package provided ICE with billions in funding that they can use. Beyond that, as we've talked about, DHS is a department with a lot of different agencies, many of which are deemed essential. In fact, most of the 270,000 or so people employed by DHS fall into that category. That means a lot of them will continue to work through the shutdown, though employees may miss paychecks if this drags on, and some senators think it will.

Of particular concern to the government is TSA. During Trump's last shutdown, TSA employees started calling in sick as the shutdown dragged on. Politicians are concerned because it could impact air travel and therefore money. FEMA will also be disrupted. They'll lose the ability to distribute funds and coordinate with local agencies.

To give you an idea of how long this could last, Republicans are already worrying about Trump's big day. The State of the Union is in about 10 days. Trump asking Americans to continue to support his party while they have failed to keep the government open yet again just isn't a great look. The appearance will be worse if the rumors about a Democrat boycott are true.

There's also talk of the speech being delayed, which would be even worse for Trump. Democrats are currently well positioned as long as they can message and explain what they're asking for. I have a video I'll put down below that will go over the Democratic demands. They're pretty basic. It's too soon to say how this will play out, but the perjury probe is a wildcard event that neither party planned on, and it's not really in the political calculus yet. The last good polling says that 43% want ICE reformed, 29% want to see it abolished, and 29% want it to stay as is. We'll provide more information as we hear it.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.