Senate fails again to approve DHS funding as shutdown nears.
Key Takeaways
- The Senate failed to reach the 60 votes needed to advance a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, with a 51–46 procedural vote.
- Democrats offered agency-by-agency funding votes for TSA, CISA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA; Republicans objected to each.
- Majority Leader John Thune (R–S.D.) pushed a short-term, comprehensive plan, accusing Democrats of stalling talks; Democrats demand policy changes at ICE and CBP.
- TSA, CBP, ICE, and the Coast Guard continue “excepted” operations, but it has been reported that workers could soon miss pay; most USCIS services remain open because they are fee-funded.
Deadlock Deepens Over DHS Funding
The Senate once again failed to advance a DHS funding measure, almost a month into a department-specific shutdown triggered by a lapse in appropriations. The chamber voted 51–46 on a procedural motion—short of the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster (cloture). Sen. John Fetterman (D–Pa.) was the lone Democrat voting to advance the House-passed bill, underscoring an entrenched split over both funding mechanics and immigration policy. It was the fourth time since February 12 that Democrats voted to block DHS funding legislation while offering alternative approaches.
Duelling Strategies: All-at-Once vs. Agency-by-Agency
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–S.D.) accused Democrats of refusing to engage on GOP offers and pushed a short-term, comprehensive plan to keep core homeland security functions paid, citing aviation screening (TSA), the Coast Guard, cybersecurity (CISA), and disaster response (FEMA) as essential. Democrats, led by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.), countered with an agency-by-agency strategy to fund critical operations now while negotiating statutory changes to enforcement at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In a rapid-fire series of requests, Democrats sought standalone votes to fund TSA (blocked by Sen. Bernie Moreno, R–Ohio), CISA (blocked by Sen. Roger Marshall, R–Kan.), the Coast Guard (blocked by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R–Mo.), and FEMA (blocked by Sen. James Lankford, R–Okla.). Schumer argued Republicans were “holding other agencies and millions of Americans hostage” over ICE policy.
What This Means for Immigrants, Travelers, and Employers
During a DHS funding lapse, “excepted” personnel at TSA, CBP, ICE, and the Coast Guard continue working without pay, while non‑excepted staff face furloughs. It has been reported that TSA workers could soon miss paychecks if the impasse persists, raising the risk of staffing strains at airports. Most services at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—the immigration benefits agency—continue because they are primarily fee‑funded; that includes many applications for visas, green cards, and naturalization. However, programs that rely on appropriations, such as E‑Verify (the online system employers use to confirm work authorization), are typically paused during DHS funding lapses, and deadlines are often tolled once the system resumes. For migrants and asylum seekers at the border, CBP inspections and ICE detention and removal operations continue, but policy changes Democrats seek—spurred by recent violent incidents in Minnesota in which Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed—remain the central sticking point.
The Road Ahead
The Senate’s failure to clear the 60‑vote bar keeps DHS in a precarious status quo, with operational continuity but growing financial strain on its workforce. Unless leaders bridge differences between an all‑at‑once stopgap and piecemeal agency funding—and resolve the dispute over ICE and CBP practices—the shutdown will drag on. For people navigating the immigration system right now, plan for USCIS to keep processing most cases, expect E‑Verify complications for new hires, and prepare for possible travel delays at airports and land ports as the standoff continues.
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