Chuck Schumer rejected claims that Senate Democrats were blocking Department of Homeland Security funding for political reasons, saying their goal was to push reforms to agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Speaking on CNN, Schumer argued that Democrats withheld support because they view these agencies as needing stricter oversight and change.

He said the American public supports reform, citing polling that he claims shows strong backing for their position.

Critics, including Republican leaders, countered that Democrats’ demands amounted to political posturing since key agencies were already funded through prior legislation, Fox News has reported.

A bipartisan funding measure has since moved forward, though debate continues over immigration enforcement policy and agency oversight.