Republican leaders in the US Congress have agreed to advance a funding measure that would end the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has caused lengthy security lines at airports and unpaid leave for thousands of employees. The deal, announced by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, would fund most DHS operations but exclude money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and parts of Customs and Border Protection.
To bypass Democratic objections to funding immigration enforcement agencies, the leaders endorsed a plan by Senator Lindsey Graham to use budget reconciliation, a procedure that allows passage with a simple majority in the Senate. This would fund ICE separately for the remainder of the Trump administration, insulating it from future Democratic efforts to cut funding. The move abandons an earlier House Republican attempt to pass a 60-day funding bill, which Senate Democrats had vowed to block.
Democrats have demanded reforms to immigration enforcement, including a ban on agents wearing masks and a requirement for judicial warrants before entering homes, after two US citizens were killed during a crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of prolonging the shutdown due to internal divisions, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would support the Senate bill, calling it time to pay TSA agents and end airport chaos.
