Balance of Power Podcast – Detailed Summary

Episode: DHS Heads Towards Partial Shutdown
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz
Main Theme:
A looming partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the deepening political battle over funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and turmoil in agency leadership, notably surrounding Secretary Kristi Noem. The episode examines the political optics, policy stakes, and internal chaos leading to Congressional inaction, as well as the role of key lawmakers and administration officials.

Episode Overview

With Congress leaving town ahead of a DHS funding deadline, the podcast breaks down the flashpoints that have led to gridlock, particularly fierce disagreements over the conduct and funding of ICE. The episode features extended interviews with Democratic lawmakers and analysis from Bloomberg’s political panel. The show also explores the impact of leadership scandals inside DHS, especially those involving Secretary Kristi Noem and her advisor Corey Lewandowski, and looks at how these play into the broader debate on immigration enforcement, public accountability, and 2026 presidential aspirations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. DHS Approaches Shutdown as Lawmakers Depart

• Shutdown Scope: At midnight, funding for components of DHS (TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard) will lapse, though ICE retains funds from previous appropriations ("the big beautiful bill") ([01:30]).
• Congressional Stalemate: Lawmakers, including many senators, have left for the Munich Security Conference, leaving little hope for a last-minute deal ([18:03]).
• Pressure Points: The issue centers on ICE’s practices and broader DHS accountability, with Democrats holding firm on sweeping reforms in exchange for funding ([04:07]).

2. Democratic Lawmakers Double Down on ICE Reforms

Interview: Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ)

• Criticizes ICE as "an agency that has just run amok and is violating the constitutional rights of thousands and thousands of Americans." ([02:20])
• Calls for dramatic overhaul, citing abuses including unwarranted violence against civilians.
  • Quote: "This agency needs to be overhauled. People need to be fired. Why are they in uniforms that tactical operators in Fallujah wear? ... They do not need more resources that will go towards violating the rights of the American people.” — Mark Kelly ([02:20])
• Declares no further funding for ICE until "fixed in a dramatic way."

Interview: Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

• Strongly opposes additional ICE funding absent strict reforms.
  • Quote: "What Democrats are doing is making a stand that ICE and CBP are completely out of control in the United States of America." ([07:07])
• Details abuses: warrantless home/business raids, profiling, mistreatment of legal immigrants and citizens.
• Supports targeted funding for TSA, FEMA, and Coast Guard, emphasizing that the administration can move money as needed from ICE’s surplus ([09:16]).
  • Dismisses the need to “take further action” because of this flexibility, reiterating that “abusive practices need to stop before additional funding.”

3. Republican Status and Strategic Shifts

• White House (Trump administration) insists negotiations are ongoing, but both parties publicly remain far apart ([04:07]).
• Some tactical pullbacks (e.g., ending Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota) are seen as insufficient by Democrats, who want lasting statutory reforms, not just executive changes ([04:07], [12:37]).

4. Scandal and Chaos at DHS Leadership

• Secretary Kristi Noem, along with advisor Corey Lewandowski, faces criticism for alleged mismanagement, personal scandals, and blocking disaster relief funds ([14:27], [33:39]).
  • Quote: “The vanity project that Kristi Noem has engaged in... is an outrage. And she is singularly incompetent. She has really hamstrung so many small towns and cities across America..." — Wasserman Schultz ([15:27])
• Reports of extravagant expenditures (private jet), alleged affairs, and firing–then re-hiring–a Coast Guard pilot over a forgotten blanket.
• The chaos at DHS becomes a central talking point, with political analysts noting the agency’s dysfunction pre-dates Noem but has worsened.

5. Munich Security Conference: Lawmakers’ Profile and 2028 Politics

• Multiple lawmakers, including potential 2028 presidential contenders, gather at Munich, raising their profiles in foreign policy circles ([21:33]).
• Senator Alyssa Slotkin (D-MI) discusses federal grand jury’s refusal to indict her and others for a video urging military members to refuse unlawful orders.
  • Quote: "The president is weaponizing the federal government against his adversaries. It's right out of an authoritarian playbook." — Slotkin ([19:05])
• Panel notes the event’s shift from policy forum to campaign platform.

6. Panel Analysis: Impact and Political Calculus

• Rick Davis (Republican strategist): Sees the Munich conference as a “platform for global debate,” now infused with 2028 campaign energy ([22:30]).
• Jeannie Sheehan Zaino (Democratic analyst): Critiques perpetual campaign mode and growing frustration with American politics ([24:22]).
• Both analyze Noem’s standing, noting that her fate depends on President Trump’s continued support; chaos and leaks at DHS may ultimately undermine the administration’s credibility ([37:57]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Senator Mark Kelly: "I am not in favor of funding them beyond what the president gave them ... They do not need more resources that will go towards violating the rights of the American people." ([02:20])
• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz: "ICE and CBP are completely out of control... Stopping people randomly based on their accent, their skin color, or how they look, that's just unacceptable." ([07:07])
• On ICE pullbacks: "That doesn't change the fact that they killed two people on the streets of Minneapolis who were simply exercising their First Amendment right." — Wasserman Schultz ([13:10])
• On the DHS scandal: "The vanity project that Kristi Noem has engaged in... is an outrage. And she is singularly incompetent." — Wasserman Schultz ([15:27])
• Alyssa Slotkin on intimidation: "It's legal intimidation, right? Make me pay lots and lots of money to have a lawyer and be in this legal limbo... He is trying to intimidate people to be quiet." ([19:51])
• On the Munich conference’s new role: "We are already in the invisible primary... These guys and gals are all putting their foot into the water, testing to see how their messages land." — Zaino ([24:22])
• On the Noem/Lewandowski situation: "ICE Barbie was doing nationally broadcast TV commercials that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions... this is why the White House... opened up a review of Corey Lewandowski's role in the DHS." — Rick Davis ([35:03])

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:30 | Outline of looming DHS shutdown, funding gaps | | 02:20 | Senator Mark Kelly’s strong criticism of ICE | | 04:07 | White House/Republican and Democratic positions | | 07:07 | Rep. Wasserman Schultz: ICE abuses, conditions for deal | | 09:16–11:04 | Carving out ICE, funding other agencies—deliberations | | 12:37–13:10 | Minneapolis ICE occupation, response to pullback | | 14:27–16:57 | DHS scandals: Kristi Noem, Lewandowski, and mismanagement| | 18:03 | Congressional absence as shutdown nears | | 19:05 | Slotkin responds to grand jury, intimidation | | 21:33 | Panel: Munich as campaign platform, 2028 implications | | 22:30 | Davis/Zaino: Historical perspective and campaign mode | | 26:25 | Political headwinds for Trump, polling overview | | 33:39–41:29 | Analysis of DHS leadership chaos, leaks, responsibility | | 40:00 | DHS private jet, final assessment by panelists |

Concluding Insights

• Stalemate Likely to Continue: With lawmakers absent and positions hardened, a quick resolution is unlikely. The partial shutdown may last “weeks if not months” ([18:03], [30:11]).
• DHS Leadership in Crisis: Secretary Noem’s controversies contribute to lack of trust and effective governance within DHS, complicating the political calculus for the administration.
• ICE at the Center of Debate: Democrats are united in demanding statutory reforms; Republicans are strategically retreating on some enforcement actions but refuse major concessions.
• Campaign 2028 Shadow: The drama around DHS and enforcement is set against the backdrop of lawmakers vying for future political influence, with events like Munich becoming de facto campaign stops.
• Voter Frustration: The episode closes by highlighting the disconnect between high-level political maneuvering and real-world impacts, such as unpaid TSA staff and unaddressed disaster recovery.

This summary provides a detailed roadmap for anyone needing to understand the complex dynamics of Congressional gridlock over DHS, the political and administrative turmoil inside the agency, and how these stories are shaping the political landscape ahead of 2028.