Massie, Paul weigh in on DHS shutdown, SAVE Act in visit to Shelby County

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — As a partial federal government shutdown stretches on in Washington, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Rand Paul argue the rest of the government shouldn't be caught in the middle of a disagreement over immigration enforcement.

The two Republicans spoke Monday during a roundtable discussion with Shelby County leaders at The Farm Kitchen, where questions quickly turned to the ongoing partial shutdown and what it will take to end it.

Unlike broader shutdowns in the past, the current lapse in funding is largely limited to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, affecting agencies responsible for airport security, border protection and immigration enforcement. That includes the Transportation Security Administration, where employees are continuing to work without pay, raising concerns about staffing shortages and delays at airports nationwide.

The shutdown comes amid broader tensions between Republicans and Democrats over immigration policy, with Republicans pushing for stricter enforcement measures and Democrats seeking greater oversight and limits on federal agencies.

Massie said the standoff in Washington is being driven by disagreements over how immigration enforcement agencies, particularly ICE, should operate.

"The fight is really over ICE and immigration enforcement," Massie said. "I think we should let the other hostages out of the room and fund everything except for the part that we disagree on."

Paul echoed that sentiment, suggesting a potential compromise could involve separating disputed immigration-related funding from the rest of the DHS budget.

"I think there's a chance something works out," Paul said. "We're talking about separating ICE funding and doing just DHS. Separating it. That's a possibility."

Adding another layer to the negotiations, President Donald Trump has said he won't support a deal to end the shutdown unless it includes the SAVE America Act, a proposal that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Massie said he believes the measure has widespread public support and criticized the Senate for not advancing it.

"That's just common sense," Massie said. "And whether you're Independent, Democrat or Republican, everybody agrees on this. — not everybody, but 80%, even in the other party. And the Senate is holding this up."

Paul said he supports requiring proof of citizenship for voting.

"We should do it nationally," Paul said. "I don't know if we're getting there, but we have four or five Republican states that still don't have voter ID or in-person voting that we ought to at least work on at the state level as well. But I will be supporting the citizenship vote."

The SAVE America Act has become a key sticking point in negotiations, with Democrats raising concerns about potential impacts on voter access and Republicans arguing it is necessary to ensure election integrity.

For now, no agreement has been reached, leaving DHS without full funding and federal workers in limbo. Unless lawmakers can find common ground — either by separating out contested immigration provisions or reaching a broader deal — the partial shutdown is expected to continue.