House Dem Caucus Chair: ICE Has Money, Can Probably Keep Going if DHS Shuts Down

February 12, 2026
3:21 am

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House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) just dropped a bombshell on Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power” that should have every 2A advocate's radar pinging: ICE has tons of money and could keep right on trucking even if DHS shuts down, thanks to the president's ability to declare them essential operations. In the midst of a potential government shutdown showdown, Aguilar's admission underscores a glaring double standard in federal funding priorities. While border security hawks fight tooth and nail for ICE's resources to enforce immigration laws, Democrats seem all too willing to let the broader DHS apparatus grind to a halt—except, conveniently, for the enforcement arm that could be weaponized against everyday Americans. This isn't just fiscal theater; it's a masterclass in selective sovereignty that ties directly into Second Amendment concerns. Imagine the implications if that same president's ability logic were applied to ATF operations during a shutdown: suddenly, the agency tasked with raiding gun stores, confiscating suppressors, or fast-tracking pistol brace bans gets a golden essential pass with slush-fund money. We've seen this playbook before—ATF's bloated budget exploded under Biden, ballooning from $1.5 billion in 2021 to over $2 billion today, fueled by anti-2A crusades like Operation Secure Store and the ghost gun hysteria. Aguilar's casual green light for ICE exposes the hypocrisy: when it's about securing the border against cartels flooding our streets with illegal guns and fentanyl, funding's negotiable. But infringe on law-abiding gun owners? That's essential no matter the cost. For the 2A community, this is a wake-up call to demand parity. Push Congress to codify protections ensuring no federal overreach agency—like ATF—gets unilateral shutdown exemptions without explicit appropriations. With midterms looming and shutdown brinkmanship as the new normal, patriots must amplify voices like Aguilar's to highlight how one party's essential is another's existential threat. Stay vigilant; our rights depend on exposing these funding favoritisms before they zero in on your safe.

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House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) just dropped a bombshell on Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power” that should have every 2A advocate’s radar pinging: ICE has tons of money and could keep right on trucking even if DHS shuts down, thanks to the president’s ability to declare them essential operations. In the midst of a potential government shutdown showdown, Aguilar’s admission underscores a glaring double standard in federal funding priorities. While border security hawks fight tooth and nail for ICE’s resources to enforce immigration laws, Democrats seem all too willing to let the broader DHS apparatus grind to a halt—except, conveniently, for the enforcement arm that could be weaponized against everyday Americans.

This isn’t just fiscal theater; it’s a masterclass in selective sovereignty that ties directly into Second Amendment concerns. Imagine the implications if that same president’s ability logic were applied to ATF operations during a shutdown: suddenly, the agency tasked with raiding gun stores, confiscating suppressors, or fast-tracking pistol brace bans gets a golden essential pass with slush-fund money. We’ve seen this playbook before—ATF’s bloated budget exploded under Biden, ballooning from $1.5 billion in 2021 to over $2 billion today, fueled by anti-2A crusades like Operation Secure Store and the ghost gun hysteria. Aguilar’s casual green light for ICE exposes the hypocrisy: when it’s about securing the border against cartels flooding our streets with illegal guns and fentanyl, funding’s negotiable. But infringe on law-abiding gun owners? That’s essential no matter the cost.

For the 2A community, this is a wake-up call to demand parity. Push Congress to codify protections ensuring no federal overreach agency—like ATF—gets unilateral shutdown exemptions without explicit appropriations. With midterms looming and shutdown brinkmanship as the new normal, patriots must amplify voices like Aguilar’s to highlight how one party’s essential is another’s existential threat. Stay vigilant; our rights depend on exposing these funding favoritisms before they zero in on your safe.

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