Four Terror Attacks Unfold as DHS Funding Stalemate Continues

Four suspected terror attacks have occurred across the United States since the Department of Homeland Security was defunded in last month’s partial government shutdown, putting national security concerns at the forefront of an increasingly contentious political debate.

The funding stalemate has drawn sharp criticism from Republican Mike Rogers, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and current Senate candidate in Michigan. Rogers told Fox News Digital he would vote “yes” to reopen DHS, emphasizing that “we needed all hands on deck” during recent U.S. military actions against Iran.

“This was an opportunity to have our law enforcement officers from immigration, making sure that the Coast Guard’s up, the TSA is getting paid,” Rogers stated. “It’s crazy to me that the Democrats just turned their back on safety and security of American citizens… for some political purpose that they think is going to gain them votes in the fall.”

The political standoff has intensified in recent weeks, with Senate Democrats voting four times to block Homeland Security funding because the bills include allocations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Democratic opposition stems from concerns about these agencies following fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota earlier this year by federal immigration agents during protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions.

Michigan’s current Democratic Senators, Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters, have both opposed reopening DHS under the proposed terms. Peters is retiring, setting up a competitive race for his seat.

Among Democratic primary candidates running to replace Peters, progressive Abdul El-Sayed, who has secured an endorsement from Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, did not specify how he would vote on DHS funding. Instead, he criticized the administration’s security priorities, telling Fox News Digital: “If the Trump administration were serious about keeping Americans safe from terror, they would not be funding ICE at a level higher than the FBI, cutting counterterrorism funding, or keeping the FBI from informing local law enforcement about terror threats.”

Two other leading Democratic candidates, Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens, did not respond to requests for comment on the issue.

The funding debate has taken on greater urgency following a string of suspected terror incidents. On Thursday alone, as lawmakers clashed in Washington over DHS funding, two separate attacks occurred that authorities believe may be linked to terrorism or religious ideology.

In Virginia, 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Army National Guard soldier previously convicted of supporting ISIS, reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” while opening fire inside Old Dominion University. The attack killed ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah and injured two others.

That same day in Michigan, 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali allegedly drove his vehicle into Temple Israel, a prominent Reform synagogue in West Bloomfield, before firing at security guards with a rifle. Armed security personnel returned fire, killing Ghazali.

These incidents followed two other recent attacks: one in Austin, Texas, where 53-year-old Senegal-born Ndiaga Diagne allegedly killed three people in a shooting outside a bar while wearing a shirt that said “property of Allah,” and another in New York City, where two suspects were arrested after allegedly throwing improvised explosive devices near Gracie Mansion during a protest, with one reportedly claiming ISIS inspiration.

The series of attacks has amplified concerns about domestic security vulnerabilities during the DHS funding lapse, which has affected multiple agencies responsible for counterterrorism, border security, and transportation safety. As the shutdown continues, the debate over prioritizing national security versus demands for agency reform remains deadlocked in Congress, with significant implications for public safety and the upcoming election cycle.