The DHS shutdown may be ending — but not on Democrats’ terms.
The Senate passed a DHS funding deal early Friday, moving to end the 42-day shutdown that crippled airport security, triggered mass resignations among TSA workers, and disrupted travel nationwide.
The measure funds most of the Department of Homeland Security through September and now heads to the House for final approval.
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The breakthrough came just hours before lawmakers left Washington for a two-week Easter and Passover recess, underscoring how close the standoff came to dragging on.
Despite weeks of pressure, the final DHS funding deal includes none of the ICE restrictions Democrats demanded.
No limits on masks.
No tougher warrant requirements.
No structural changes to immigration enforcement.
Instead, ICE and Border Patrol funding were left untouched, with both agencies already funded through prior legislation signed by Donald Trump, allowing immigration enforcement to continue uninterrupted during the shutdown.
Still, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared victory.
“In the wake of the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Democrats were clear: No blank check for a lawless ICE and Border Patrol,” Schumer said. “We held the line.”
Republicans say the opposite.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged the compromise but made clear Democrats failed to secure policy changes.
“The good news is we anticipated this a year ago. I mean, one of the reasons we front-loaded, pre-loaded up the ‘one big, beautiful bill’ with advanced funding for Homeland Security was because we anticipated this was likely going to happen, and it did,” Thune said. “I still think it’s unfortunate. The Dems wanted reforms. We tried to work with them on reforms. They ended up getting no reforms.”
ICE and CBP are still flush with roughly $75 billion in cash from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” giving the agencies a buffer for a time.
The deal followed escalating pressure from Trump, who warned he would use emergency authority to pay TSA workers after missed paychecks fueled airport chaos and public backlash.
“Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law,” Trump wrote, announcing plans to order DHS to pay TSA agents.
That move — and worsening travel disruptions — helped force momentum toward a deal.
Now, all eyes shift to the House.
If approved, the DHS funding deal will formally end the shutdown and stabilize airport operations, though broader fights over immigration enforcement remain unresolved.
🚨 BREAKING: The Senate has LEFT TOWN after funding TSA and DHS, except for ICE and CBP
No SAVE America Act either.
The funding bill now falls on the HOUSE, then it must be signed by President Trump
ICE MUST BE FUNDED! pic.twitter.com/u1qjuhy9u7
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 27, 2026
