Senators pass bill to fund DHS, clear path to end partial shutdown
Senators agreed to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, except Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Protection.
It’s not completely finished yet.
Early Friday morning, March 27, the end of the partial government shutdown was on the horizon as the House of Representatives prepared to take action to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The deal passed the Senate in the middle of the night, clearing the way for lawmakers to end weeks of funding standoffs that have thrown airports into chaos.
Here’s how it stands as of Friday morning and what it means for you.
What is the House voting on?
The deal, which could head to a House vote as early as Friday or over the weekend, would provide funding to the U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Transportation Security Administration and other DHS agencies.
The bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate, does not include funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. Republicans said that’s because both departments of DHS already received a large infusion of funding as part of the so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” passed last year.
On Thursday, Republican senators got into high gear after President Donald Trump threatened to fund the TSA without any involvement from Congress.
Senate Democrats ultimately approved the bill, even though it omitted demands they had repeatedly said were non-negotiable in the wake of the killings of two Americans by federal agents in Minneapolis. A ban on mask-wearing by federal agents and a requirement for judicial warrants for immigration raids were among the Democratic demands not included in the final deal (although accountability measures for DHS were also included).
Will this bill pass the House?
Whether this version of the DHS Lifeline can survive the Republican-majority House will be proven Friday.
Some House Republicans saw the Senate deal as too many concessions to Democrats. Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) posted on social media early Friday morning that the bill does not include the SAVE America Act, a key priority of the Trump administration heading into the fall election.
Another sign of the snub in the House came at a House Freedom Caucus press conference on Friday, when lawmakers said they would not support the bill unless the Senate returned to amend the bill to fund immigration enforcement and parts of the Save America Act.
“We should get them back and let them do their jobs,” said Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.).
But time for negotiations is limited, and House members are eager to leave town for a two-week spring break recess on Friday. Senators have already begun recess.
And even back in Washington, the fight over immigration reform isn’t over. Congressional Republicans will likely try to pass additional funding for ICE and Border Patrol this year, while Democrats will renew their calls for reform. These discussions come ahead of the midterm elections, in which Republicans will aim to maintain a slim majority in Congress.
What does this mean for Americans?
Even if there are signs of life at the Capitol, air travel may not get back on track right away. The deal still needs to pass the House and go to President Trump’s desk for his signature. That means Americans could still be waiting in long lines at airports across the country.
And even if the House approves the deal and President Trump waves a Sharpie, a shutdown lasting more than 40 days could have lingering effects. Thousands of exhausted TSA employees are complaining of not feeling well or quitting their jobs to support themselves. They have a lot to catch up on after weeks without pay. Many agencies are struggling to meet medical, childcare and other expenses during the shutdown. Some have quit their jobs completely.
DHS also did not confirm whether ICE agents, who have been sent to some U.S. airports to assist with long lines, would leave immediately after Trump signs the funding agreement.
That means Americans heading to the airport on Friday should check their airport wait times and plan for things to look a little different.
