It’s officially tax season. The Internal Revenue Service opened the 2026 filing period for the 2025 tax year on Jan. 26.

Both of Oregon’s U.S. senators are among the growing opposition to a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, as outrage over federal killings in Minnesota builds to a showdown in Congress.

This week, senators are set to vote on an appropriations package that contains six funding bills, including one for DHS. In separate votes on Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the majority of the package by a vote of 341–88, but the DHS portion of the bill passed by a much narrower margin, 220–207.

Republicans now face a steep challenge passing the $64.4 billion DHS spending package, $10 billion of which would be directed to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The bill will require 60 votes to pass the Senate—that means it needs bipartisan support.

But it comes to the chamber in the wake of the fatal ICE shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, the latest escalation in a string of immigration crackdowns nationwide that have turned increasingly violent. Video footage has since undercut many of the federal government’s initial claims about Pretti, including that he was brandishing a gun. (He was holding a cellphone, and he had been disarmed before agents started firing.) Across the country, public outrage has grown over ICE’s actions in Minneapolis.

Pretti’s death marked the second killing of a U.S. citizen at the hands of ICE this month, after an agent shot Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7. Good was also 37.

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have told WW they plan to vote against the DHS spending bill.

Wyden says the Senate has “absolutely no business” approving funding for DHS without “sufficient guardrails against these heinous and intolerable ICE abuses in Minneapolis, Portland and far too many other cities across America.”

Wyden says he’s working with fellow senators to push for reforms, including requiring ICE agents to wear their uniforms and display their badges, and is also pushing against racial profiling during ICE operations.

He adds: “I’m also battling for the rights of elected officials to visit immigration detention sites and for local communities in Oregon to refuse the siting of detention facilities in their towns. I’d also add that I’m keeping receipts on who’s issuing these orders under Trump—as well as who’s following those orders. I’m putting all those people on notice: The courts are not going to forget who broke the law in Oregon, Minnesota or anywhere else in America.”

Merkley says the Trump administration has used ICE to “terrorize communities” while denying people due process and often resorting to violence.

“I oppose giving one more penny to ICE, which already got $75 billion from Trump and Republicans in the Big Ugly Betrayal Bill,” Merkley said. “As long as more funding for ICE is in the DHS bill, I will vote against it.”

Whether the congressional standoff leads to a government shutdown remains to be seen. NBC reports that Senate Democrats have plans to advocate separating out DHS from the spending bills for other agencies in a similar fashion—trying to limit the consequences of a partial government shutdown. (That decision is ultimately up to the Republican majority leader.)

Aaron Mesh contributed reporting.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

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Congratulations to Canby’s Joe Roberts for being voted The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Oregon High School Boys Basketball Player of the Week.

The junior wing had totals of 32 points (including a varsity high of 22 against Milwaukie), 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals for the Cougars in their victories against Hood River Valley and Milwaukie in Northwest Oregon Conference games.

Roberts received 61.8% of the vote, beating out Lucas LaBounty, a senior on the Thurston team, who finished second with 19.8%. Brody Rygh, a senior on the Sherwood team, was third with 6.3%, and Zane Ozier, a junior on the Portland Christian team, was fourth with 4.6%. There were 400 votes tallied last week.

We encourage Player of the Week nominations from readers every week. If you would like to nominate an athlete, email danbrood91@gmail.com.

For complete coverage of Oregon high school sports, including schedules, scores, recruiting news and additional player spotlights, visit OregonLive’s high school sports section throughout the season.