The US Senate is poised to swiftly approve a measure on Thursday aimed at funding the majority of the Department of Homeland Security, though the timeline for the House to follow suit and largely end the longest partial government shutdown in history remains uncertain.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune unveiled a two-step plan on Wednesday to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security.
This agreement sees the leaders align on a strategy to resolve the impasse, after their previous separate efforts led to Congress departing Washington last week without a resolution.
The bipartisan Senate plan, previously negotiated with Democrats, is now backed by Johnson and Thune. It proposes funding most of the department, with the notable exception of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Border Patrol.
Republicans intend to pursue separate, party-line spending legislation to fund these agencies later, a process that could take several months.
However, neither outcome is guaranteed. The proposed strategy could still face significant opposition from within the Republican ranks, despite President Donald Trump having publicly endorsed it.
"We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown," stated Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D.
Last week, House Republicans rejected the Senate’s initial plan to exclude ICE and Border Patrol, instead amending the bill to provide 60 days of funding for the entire DHS.
The DHS shutdown entered its 47th day on Wednesday. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer commented, "Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction."
The two senior Republicans are now working to persuade sceptical GOP colleagues. However, the most conservative lawmakers are expected to demand full funding for all of Trump’s immigration and deportation operations.
"Let’s make this simple: caving to Democrats and not paying CBP and ICE is agreeing to defund Law Enforcement and leaving our borders wide open again," Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., posted on X. "If that’s the vote, I’m a NO."
The Senate is scheduled for an early pro-forma session on Thursday. These sessions typically last only a few minutes, with most senators absent.
Senators could adopt the measure they passed last week via a unanimous consent request, allowing it to proceed if no senator objects. This Senate action would then return the bill to the House, which is also holding a pro-forma session later on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, a narrower budget package sought by Donald Trump for later this year is anticipated to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the remainder of his term.
This move aims to shield these agencies from future objections by Democrats regarding the president’s immigration enforcement agenda. Trump has indicated he wants this legislation finalised by June 1.
"We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us," Trump declared.
Following the announcement from Johnson and Thune, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a statement, saying, "it’s time to pay TSA agents, end the airport chaos and fully fund every part of the Department of Homeland Security that does not relate to Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation machine."
During the shutdown, the vast majority of Homeland Security personnel have continued to report for duty, though thousands have been working without pay.
This situation led to an increase in Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents calling out from work, resulting in frustrating security queues at some of the nation's busiest airports.
These delays appear to be easing this week, as agents began receiving backpay following an executive order from Donald Trump.
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