Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso criticized Democrats on the Senate floor, accusing them of refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security and prioritizing undocumented immigrants over American citizens.

Barrasso’s remarks came during a debate over federal funding for the agency, where he said Republican lawmakers were pushing a proposal that Democrats had previously supported before reversing course.

"This is what we're seeing here in this chamber, with what the Democrats are doing because they do not want to fund the Department of Homeland Security that keeps our nation safe," Barrasso said.

He pointed to what he described as statements made publicly by a Democratic senator, referencing comments aired on television.

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"Well, there is now circulating that is evident that the Republicans have all seen, which is a member of the Senate, the Democrat member of the Senate, on television, telling the nation," Barrasso said.

Barrasso said the remarks reflected broader priorities among Democrats regarding immigration and public policy.

"This is a clip that remember the sentences the people this is a Democrat, the people we care most about," he said.

According to Barrasso, the comments suggested that undocumented immigrants were being prioritized over American citizens.

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"He says, are the undocumented, not these people who are working every day," Barrasso said.

Barrasso continued by describing what he sees as the implications of those priorities, arguing that Democrats are focusing on individuals who are not citizens.

"The people that Democrats care most about, are the undocumented, the illegal immigrants, the people who are not citizens of this country," he said.

He also referenced immigration levels during the previous administration, stating that large numbers of individuals entered the United States.

"But are here and have been unleashed into this country, 10 million or more during the Biden administration," Barrasso said.

Barrasso said the issue was central to the ongoing Senate debate over funding and policy direction.

"And that is what we're talking about here today on the floor," he said.

He noted that a vote was expected on a Republican-backed proposal addressing the issue.

"And why we will vote, be voting later today, Mr. President, on the proposal that the Republicans have made," Barrasso said.

Barrasso added that Democrats had initially agreed to the proposal but later withdrew their support.

"That the Democrats agreed to two days ago, but now they have withdrawn their support," he said.

He said the reversal was consistent with the statements he referenced earlier about Democratic priorities.

"Because, as we hear from a Democrat spokesman and a Democrat Senator, the people that they care most about are not the citizens of the United States," Barrasso said.

Barrasso concluded by reiterating his criticism that Democrats were prioritizing undocumented immigrants over citizens in their approach to policy decisions.

"They're the undocumented, the illegal immigrants who are here among us today," he said.

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