The Senate is expected to vote quickly on Thursday to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, potentially moving to end the ongoing partial government shutdown. However, it remains unclear how promptly the House of Representatives will act to follow suit.

Shutdown Reaches 47th Day

As of Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security shutdown had reached its 47th day, impacting thousands of federal employees. The vast majority of Homeland Security workers continue to report for duty, but many have been working without pay.

Bipartisan Agreement and Republican Strategy

The proposed agreement involves a two-step process. It initially funds most of the department, excluding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol. Republicans then intend to pursue separate legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol through party-line voting, a process that could take months.

Leadership Statements

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., jointly stated, “We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticized Republican divisions, stating, “Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction.”

Potential Opposition

House Republicans previously rejected a similar Senate plan that excluded ICE and Border Patrol, opting instead to fund the entire DHS for 60 days. Some conservative lawmakers are likely to demand full funding for all of former President Trump’s immigration and deportation operations.

Concerns from GOP Lawmakers

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., expressed opposition on X, stating, “caving to Democrats and not paying CBP and ICE is agreeing to defund Law Enforcement and leaving our borders wide open again.”

Next Steps in Congress

The Senate will convene for a brief pro-forma session on Thursday. Senators may attempt to pass the previously approved measure through unanimous consent, requiring no objections. If successful, the bill would then be sent to the House for consideration.

Future Funding Plans

Former President Trump has requested a comprehensive budget package to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the remainder of his term. He aims to have this legislation on his desk by June 1, seeking to prevent future funding disputes with Democrats regarding immigration enforcement.

Democratic Response

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called for full funding of the Department of Homeland Security, excluding what he termed “Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation machine.” The shutdown has led to increased call-outs from Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, causing airport security delays, though these bottlenecks have begun to ease with the distribution of backpay.