White House border czar Tom Homan met with a group of Democrat senators Thursday to secure a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, The Hill reported.
The meeting was held without Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
The hour-long meeting at the Capitol included senators who broke with Schumer last year to help reopen the government following a 43-day shutdown.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, attended the meeting along with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who had not supported last year's deal to reopen the government, The Hill reported.
Following the meeting, Homan said he would continue to negotiate with Democrats.
"We're going to keep talking," Homan said. "We need to get the government open, and we're going to keep having discussions."
Murray told reporters both sides were still "a long ways apart."
Schumer and Democrat leadership submitted their latest offer to the White House to reopen DHS earlier this week, according to The Hill.
A Senate Republican source told The Hill that White House negotiators and GOP senators are skeptical they can reach a deal with Schumer to reopen DHS.
The source said Republicans feel the best path toward a deal is working with seven or eight Democrats to agree to stronger rules that would require federal immigration officers to wear body cameras, among other reforms.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrat leadership in the Senate has made no effort toward reaching a deal.
"The Democrats seem intent on dragging out this political issue," Thune said. "We got to have a meaningful conversation where we sit down at the table and actually work these issues out."
"You can't get there if you're not sitting down at the table," he added.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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