Rep. Sykes Statement on Partial Government Shutdown

Rep. Sykes Statement on Partial Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) issued the following statement as a partial government shutdown begins, triggered by congressional Republicans' refusal to rein in lawless and deadly conduct by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.

"This shutdown didn't have to happen," said Rep. Sykes. "Democrats offered clear, reasonable reforms to stop ICE's dangerous practices and bring accountability to an agency that has repeatedly put lives at risk. Republicans refused, and now families, workers, and entire communities are paying the price. Republicans need to fix this immediately by adopting these reforms and reopening the government."

For weeks, Rep. Sykes and her fellow Democrats pushed Republicans to adopt strong guardrails and accountability measures to ensure ICE operates in a lawful manner. These common-sense reforms include a judicial warrant requirement, a prohibition on the detention and deportation of American citizens, prohibited excessive use of force, enhanced training requirements, a body camera mandate, and a ban on masks during enforcement actions. House Republicans rejected these protections. Rep. Sykes has long supported law enforcement and public safety, but funding enforcement practices without accountability undermines civil rights and human dignity.

As a result of the shutdown, nearly 80 percent of the federal government is now affected, including agencies and programs responsible for military pay, transportation and infrastructure, housing and community development, environmental and public health protections, and small business support.

Rep. Sykes previously introduced bipartisan legislation to reduce harm during funding lapses. Her Pay Our Military Act, introduced with Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), ensures service members continue to receive pay during a shutdown. Her Guaranteed Uninterrupted Access to Retiree Disbursements (GUARD) Act, introduced with Rep. Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), helps protect essential workers and maintain critical services when funding lapses occur.

Rep. Sykes is urging Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans to work with Democrats to pass meaningful reforms, restore accountability at ICE, and fully fund the government.

More information about which federal services and programs are impacted by the shutdown is available on Rep. Sykes' shutdown FAQ page at sykes.house.gov.