A number of Democratic Senators have said that they plan to vote against a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill after a US Border Patrol agent shot a man dead in Minneapolis.

The bill is set to hit the upper-chamber floor this week on Capitol Hill. On Thursday, the House passed the bill to keep the department funded through September 30.

Despite, top Democrats in the House pushing a vote against the legislation, which would keep ICE’s budget at $10bn, it advanced by a slim margin.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was among several Democratic lawmakers demanding federal immigration authorities leave Minnesota.

She also urged Democrats to refuse to vote to fund US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying on social media, “We have a responsibility to protect Americans from tyranny.”

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer later said that Democrats will not vote for a spending package that includes money for DHS, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Schumer’s statement increases the possibility that the government could partially shut down January 30 when funding runs out.

Chris Murphy, the Democratic Senator from Connecticut asserted that the Senate should not vote to keep funding “this rampage.” He added, “We are not powerless. We do not need to accept this.”

In a post on social media, Senator Ruben Gallego, of Arizona, said that he will do everything he can to get “these goon squads out of our communities and hold them accountable — starting by not voting to give them another dime.”

Meanwhile, Massachusetts lawmaker Ed Markey called for a stop in DHS funding.

“Americans are watching in outrage while their neighbors are murdered on tv and cities get taken over. Senators have the power to do something about it. We need to stop funding DHS now.”
Ed Markey

Senator Chris Van Hollen was in agreement. “Congress must cut-off funding for these heinous acts NOW!,” he wrote.

The DHS budget bill will be part of a larger appropriations package heading to the Senate this week. It will need to clear a 60-vote hurdle before funding lapses on 30 January.

The fatal shooting incident drew hundreds of protesters onto the frigid streets and new calls for President Donald Trump to pull heavily armed officers out of the city in Minnesota state immediately.

Family members identified the man who was killed as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse who protested President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his city.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters that a 37-year-old man died in hospital on Saturday after being shot multiple times. O’Hara said that the Minneapolis resident was a US citizen.

O’Hara said police believed that the person was “a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.” Minnesota allows the open carrying of firearms with a permit.

The incident took place amid a weeks-long deployment of immigration enforcement and other federal agents to Minneapolis, where they have been carrying out raids as part of Trump’s anti-immigration push.

It also happened amid widespread daily protests in Minneapolis since the January 7 shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was killed when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fired into her vehicle. Federal agents also shot a Venezuelan man in a separate incident last week in the city.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that a US Border Patrol agent shot dead a person who had a handgun and resisted attempts to be disarmed.

DHS Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the agent fired “defensive shots” after a man with a handgun approached them and “violently resisted” when officers tried to disarm him. Federal officials said the officer who shot Pretti is an eight-year Border Patrol veteran.

However, in bystander videos, Pretti can be seen standing in the street and filming agents with his mobile phone. The videos show one of the agents apparently deploying pepper spray at Pretti and other protesters.

While Pretti attempts to block the spray and help other protesters, several agents wrestle him to the ground and begin striking him with blows to the head and body.

As they hold Pretti on the ground, one of the agents draws his weapon and multiple shots are fired. Pretti’s body can be seen in the street.

Continued Crackdown Denounced

Speaking at the news conference alongside the city’s police chief, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey denounced the Trump administration for its continued crackdown.

“I just saw a video of more than six masked agents pummelling one of our constituents and shooting him to death.

“How many more residents, how many more Americans, need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end?
Jacob Frey

The police chief appealed for calm, both from the public and from federal law enforcement.

“Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands. We urge everyone to remain peaceful.”
Brian O’Hara

All eyes will be on Senate Democrats to see if they hold-out and risk another government shutdown, just two months after record-breaking closure over healthcare provisions.