Senate moves on DHS funding

Senate Republicans pushed the Department of Homeland Security funding fight into a filibuster-proof track this week, clearing a 52-46 vote to start budget reconciliation. (pbs.org) The vote opened a process Republicans hope will fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes most Senate bills need. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has described the plan as a narrow bill focused on those enforcement agencies. (pbs.org) (politico.com) The Department of Homeland Security has been in a partial shutdown since February 14, 2026, after its continuing resolution expired and Congress failed to enact a full-year spending bill. A House bill introduced on March 2 says it would fund the department for the rest of fiscal 2026 and end the lapse. (congress.gov) Senate Democrats have blocked separate funding for ICE and Border Patrol since mid-February, demanding policy changes after the fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents. The Senate has already passed a bipartisan bill to reopen the rest of the department, but House Republican leaders have not taken it up. (pbs.org) That standoff has left agencies beyond immigration enforcement in limbo. Time reported on April 3 that the shutdown was affecting the Federal Emergency Management Agency and cybersecurity programs, even after Transportation Security Administration officers started getting paid again. (time.com) TSA became the immediate pressure point after weeks of airport delays. In March testimony, the agency said it screens about 3 million passengers on peak days and that more than 61,000 employees — about 95% of its workforce — are deemed essential and must keep working during a shutdown. (tsa.gov) President Donald Trump ordered TSA officers paid in early April using existing funds tied to TSA operations, giving airports temporary relief. CNBC reported on April 1 that the administration said the money was coming from last year’s Republican tax-and-spending law, though officials did not spell out how long that workaround could last. (cnbc.com) Republicans say reconciliation is the only path left because they do not have Democratic votes for immigration enforcement money. Democrats call the plan a blank check for ICE and argue Congress should pair any reopening with limits on enforcement tactics. (spectrumlocalnews.com) The Senate’s vote did not reopen the department on its own. Republicans still need to complete the amendment marathon known as a vote-a-rama, pass a final reconciliation bill, and get the House to adopt the same budget framework before the funding can reach Trump’s desk. (pbs.org) (govexec.com)