Face in the News: DHS shutdown nears, immigration policy in limbo, Ukraine crisis deepens
WASHINGTON (CBS News) - After a week that featured debate in Washington over the semantics of the war against ISIS, there were major developments in a war raging in a very different region: Ukraine.
After weeks of fighting that wasn't even stopped by a cease-fire deal, Ukrainian troops withdrew this week from the key railroad city of Debaltseve, effectively surrendering the town Russian-backed rebels. And while that fight is over, Ukraine says Russia is sending in more troops and tanks for the next battle.
The U.S. and its allies have so far decided against giving weapons to Ukraine to help them with the fight - a decision that was criticized sharply Sunday on "Face The Nation" by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
"They're asking for weapons to defend themselves, and they are being slaughtered, and their own military's being shattered," McCain said. "This is a shameful chapter. I'm ashamed of my country, I'm ashamed of my president, and I'm ashamed of myself that I haven't done more to help these people."
McCain's comments were covered by UPI, Time, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, the Daily Caller and Newsmax.
Looking beyond that conflict, the top story in Washington this week was homeland security.
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security runs out on Friday, and the Obama administration is scrambling to convince leaders in Congress to pass a bill that fully funds the crucial cabinet department.
House Republicans passed a DHS funding bill, but with a catch: Their legislation also includes language that rolls back the executive actions on immigration that President Barack Obama announced last year. Senate Democrats have blocked a vote on that proposal and instead want a "clean" funding bill.
If the dispute isn't resolved by Friday night, the Department of Homeland Security will shut down.
DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said Sunday on "Face The Nation" that he was "optimistic" there would be a funding deal before the deadline, but he also warned of the real-world consequences of an impasse.
"I'm pushing my headquarters staff to stay one step ahead of ISIL, one step ahead of our challenges on aviation security, one step ahead in terms of monitoring our illegal migration, our border security on our southern border," Johnson said. "If we shut down, my headquarters staff is dialed back to a skeleton."
His comments on the funding showdown, and on the legal battle over President Obama's immigration actions, were covered by the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Time, National Review and The Hill.
Later in the program, McCain agreed with Johnson that the Republican-controlled Congress should pass a DHS spending bill and focus their efforts to block President Obama's immigration actions on the legal system. They got a big win last week when a federal judge in Texas temporarily halted Obama's orders.
"I don't believe we will [shut down DHS], McCain said. "We now have an exit sign. And that is the federal court decision saying that the president's actions unilaterally are unconstitutional."
McCain's comments about were picked up by Reuters, UPI, National Review, Time, The Hill, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, the Daily Caller and Newsmax.
Finally, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott - the Republican who filed the immigration lawsuit against the Obama administration - predicted Sunday that the case would go all the way to the Supreme Court.
The lawsuit "deals with an overreach by the president, who is refusing to follow and abide by the United States constitution," Abbott said. "And instead of allowing Congress to establish immigration laws, as is required by the constitution, instead the president himself is making up new immigration law."
The governor's comments were covered by the Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, the Texas Tribune and The Hill.