US Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) expressed frustration Wednesday with his Democratic colleagues over their actions, or refusal to do so, on Funding for the Department of Homeland Security and the SAVE Act during a news conference with Kansas reporters Wednesday.
Marshall said the real question regarding DHS funding is why Democrats are wanting to put politics ahead of American safety. “It took them 18 days to respond to President Trump’s last offer,” the Senator said, adding, “And only then, when we were on the floor and started beating them about the head and shoulders, so to speak, saying ‘look, you need to respond to the President’s offer’.”
He added Democrats have refused to even sit down with Republican senators to negotiate.
The current stalemate centers on a handful of issues related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) which has been a flashpoint among Democrats in the wake of recent raids seeking out illegal immigrants, and their calls for banning face coverings, requiring judicial rather than administrative warrants, and requiring use of body cameras.
On the issue of masks, Senator Marshall said while he agrees they can be better identified he has a problem with banning masks, citing safety concerns not only for officers but their families as well. “When people identify who they are, they’re being ‘doxxed” as the term is used today, and their children and their spouses’ lives are literally threatened.”
Marshall added he and Republicans are supportive of increased use of body cameras by ICE officers.
On the warrant issue, the Senator explained the difference between judicial and administrative warrants. Under a judicial warrant, a judge has to sign documents allowing officers to enter a person’s home, but an administrative warrant does not allow an “invasion of privacy”.
The lack of DHS funding is also having a major impact on air travel, as TSA officers are not getting paid but are still expected to work. This comes as many Kansas schools and colleges are currently on spring break, and Marshall noted in some cases only about half of TSA officers are on duty and about 10% of them are calling in sick on a regular basis.
He added the refusal of Democrats to budge on DHS funding is also impacting such agencies as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Coast Guard, and even national fire training programs, the latter impact pointed out by a Kansas fire chief earlier this week.
The SAVE Act, which addresses calls for safe and secure elections, is currently on the Senate floor where it is deadlocked due that body’s rules that require 60 votes for most issues to pass. “The super-majority of Kansans/Americans, believe that safe and secure elections are the bedrock of our democracy,” Marshall told reporters, also citing a survey indicating 60 percent of Americans are concerned about election integrity.
There are three pillars to the SAVE Act, those being proof of citizenship, voter ID, and for mail ballots verification of identification of those submitting them.
Among concerns are practices in some states of sending out unsolicited mail-in ballots, and whether non-citizens are voting in those elections. Senator Marshall said it’s estimated there are 50 million non-citizens living in the United States, around half of those not here legally. In four states, non-citizens are being allowed to vote in their states.
Voter ID requirements have unanimous support of Republicans in the Senate, but only two Democrats Senators are known to also support it even though identification requirements have the backing of a clear majority of Democrats as a whole. Marshall said Democratic leaders are refusing to sit down and discuss their concerns, choosing instead to listen to a very vocal minority within the party base.
Senator Marshall said the question to him is not how this debate is going to end and all these issues about cloture (meaning to end debate) and the 60 vote threshold. The question is if Democratic Senators support voter ID.
Marshall, in response to a question posted by Ad Astra News, said while he hates war, he is supportive of what President Trump is doing with Iran. “Iran has been an imminent threat to America for 47 years,” the Senator said. “Since 2023, there have been over 160 attacks by Iranians on American troops….I think the president laid out very clear goals. He wants to eliminate their missiles, their nukes, their Navy, and their ability to fund and arm terrorists.”
He added we’re about 90 percent done on those first three goals, but their terrorist support may be the toughest part of this, summing up his thoughts by saying the benefit of being in Iran outweighs the risk and expressing hopes that we can resolve this as quickly as possible.
The full news conference with Senator Marshall can be found on the Podcast page at www.adastraradio.com.
