Senate funds most of DHS, but ICE not funded as shutdown standoff endures
Senate funds most of DHS, but ICE not funded as shutdown standoff endures
The Senate approves funding for TSA and most Homeland Security agencies, but immigration enforcement remains unfunded, prolonging the partial shutdown and fueling blame across parties.
In the early hours of Friday, wraparound lines at airports and occasional flight delays persisted as TSA workers went unpaid amid the funding stalemate. The Senate advanced a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the fiscal year, but the package explicitly did not fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement or border patrol operations. Republicans balked after Democrats pressed for guardrails on ICE, while Democrats pressed to curb enforcement practices, leaving both sides defending their positions as the partial shutdown drags on.
House leadership faced a revolt from the House Freedom Caucus, which rejected the agreement because it did not include the SAVE America Act, a priority to require proof of citizenship to register to vote. That stance constrained Speaker Mike Johnson, who has aligned messaging with the president in opposing unilateral concessions to Democrats and ultimately torpedoed the GOP-led package when it seemed within reach.
The package under consideration would fund most of DHS, including the Transportation Security Administration and other agencies, but would not provide funding for ICE or certain border enforcement activities. Democrats argued that funding would have to come with stronger oversight of ICE, while Republicans signaled a preference to resolve enforcement funding through a separate process, potentially budget reconciliation, to avoid a Senate filibuster.
With the 41st day of the shutdown approaching, there is little sign of a quick resolution. Airlines and travelers continue to feel the impact of unpaid workers and staffing constraints, and the political blame game intensifies as both parties push for different terms of compromise. The immediate question remains: will either chamber approve a funding plan that covers DHS in full, or will the stalemate stretch into a second consecutive funding deadline, prolonging disruption while the government operates on a stopgap footing?
