Senate Passes Temporary Funding Bill, Excluding ICE and CBP Funding, Aiming to End Airport Chaos
Key Takeaways
- The Senate late Friday passed a short-term funding measure to keep DHS (Department of Homeland Security) operating, but ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and CBP (Customs and Border Protection) were left out of the package.
- The vote, taken by voice at about 2:20 a.m., seeks to end a 42-day funding stalemate that has driven widespread federal staffing shortages at airports.
- TSA (Transportation Security Administration) absenteeism exceeded 11% nationwide and reached about 40% at some airports, producing long security lines and operational disruptions.
- The measure still must clear the Republican-controlled House, where its fate is uncertain; it has been reported that President Trump would support the Senate bill, which could affect House deliberations.
What the Senate did
The Senate approved a short-term appropriations bill by voice vote in the early hours of Friday to resolve a 42-day lapse in funding that has caused large numbers of federal workers to work without pay or to miss shifts. The bill provides funding for much of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — the agency that oversees border, immigration and aviation security — but explicitly excludes funds for ICE and CBP, the frontline immigration enforcement agencies. Democrats insisted on excluding ICE and CBP funding amid demands for significant reforms to enforcement and removal practices; however, they did not secure new restrictions on immigration enforcement actions as part of this package.
What happens next
The bill now goes to the Republican-controlled House, where its prospects are uncertain. Senate leaders say they have communicated with House leadership and hope for quick action; meanwhile, it has been reported that President Trump supports the measure, and that messaging may influence conservative House members. If the House delays or rejects the Senate text, the funding gap — and the federal staffing disruptions at airports — could persist. Senate members then began a two-week recess, increasing political pressure on the House to move swiftly.
Human impact and immediate policy implications
Travelers have already felt the consequences: TSA absenteeism topped 11% nationwide and spiked to about 40% at some airports, causing long lines and flight delays. It has been reported that the administration temporarily deployed ICE agents to assist at airports because their pay was covered by an earlier "One Big Beautiful Bill," allowing those agents to receive salary during the lapse. President Trump also reportedly directed DHS nominee Markwayne Mullin to "immediately pay" TSA officers to address the emergency — an executive stopgap that would become unnecessary if Congress approves the Senate bill. For immigrants and those facing enforcement actions, the exclusion of ICE and CBP from this funding measure means those agencies could remain constrained if the House does not move; for airport workers and travelers, passage in the House would likely restore pay and staffing stability at TSA checkpoints in the near term.
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