President Donald Trump said Thursday he will sign an order to resume pay for the Department of Homeland Security, including agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard. This move bypasses Congress as a stalemate continues over funding.

Funding Standoff Continues

There was no resolution Thursday to the 48-day standoff, with both the House and Senate holding brief pro forma sessions. The funding lapse for the Department of Homeland Security is now likely to extend into next week as the House considers a Senate plan.

Senate and House Plans Diverge

The Senate plan would fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, excluding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol. Republicans intend to pursue separate funding for those agencies through party-line legislation, a process that could take months.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., announced Wednesday they would return to the Senate measure. This marks a reversal for Johnson, who previously criticized the plan.

Alignment on a Two-Step Process

Senate Majority Leader John Thune explained that a “number of conversations” led to the Republican leadership and President Trump aligning on this approach. He stated, “The thing that some people want to do, we can’t do…you have to figure out what’s in the realm of the possible.”

Democratic Opposition

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York blamed Republicans for the delay, stating, “Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction.”

Future Funding Plans

Conservative lawmakers are likely to push for full funding of all of Trump’s immigration and deportation operations. Representative Scott Perry, R-Pa., expressed opposition to the Senate plan, stating it would be “agreeing to defund Law Enforcement and leaving our borders wide open.”

Trump aims to have a budget package prepared by June 1 that would fund ICE and Border Patrol throughout his term, aiming to protect those agencies from future Democratic opposition. Thune acknowledged potential hurdles to this plan, emphasizing the need for a “narrow and focused” approach to ensure swift passage.

Impact on Employees and Travelers

The vast majority of DHS employees have continued to work without pay during the shutdown. Increasing frustration among air travelers has emerged due to long waits at airport security lines, though these bottlenecks appeared to be easing as agents began receiving backpay following Trump’s announcement.