The funding impasse surrounding the Department of Homeland Security, now nearing 50 days, moved closer to a potential resolution Thursday after the Senate advanced legislation designed to fund most of the agency’s operations. The measure passed by voice vote, sending a bipartisan proposal to the House that would restore funding for core DHS functions while excluding immigration enforcement and border security initiatives tied to Donald Trump’s agenda.
According to Fox News, the House is not expected to consider the legislation until lawmakers return to Washington on April 13, extending uncertainty for key homeland security operations.
The Senate vote followed Republican leadership’s decision to pursue a two-track strategy for funding the agency, an approach backed by Trump, who has urged lawmakers to resolve the prolonged stalemate. Under the Senate’s plan, most DHS activities would receive funding, but allocations for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and much of the U.S. Border Patrol would be excluded. The proposal includes approximately $11 billion for customs-related operations but leaves ICE funding unresolved under the current framework.
Republicans say they intend to address those gaps through a separate budget reconciliation package, a process that would allow them to bypass Democratic support. Trump has indicated he wants that legislation finalized by June 1.
“We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The Senate’s passage of the bill represented another key moment for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who previously helped guide the same measure through the chamber. However, House Republican leaders quickly rejected the proposal, criticizing it for excluding immigration enforcement funding. Some described the measure as insufficient, instead advancing an alternative plan that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer labeled “dead on arrival” in the Senate.
Despite the disagreement, Thune expressed optimism that the House would eventually move forward with the Senate’s approach. He also blamed Senate Democrats for contributing to the funding impasse, arguing that political divisions had stalled progress.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared to soften his stance after Trump publicly supported the two-part funding strategy. As the shutdown continues, Trump and congressional Republicans are increasingly relying on budget reconciliation as the primary path to long-term immigration enforcement funding.
Some GOP lawmakers have proposed extending funding for ICE beyond Trump’s presidency, potentially covering up to a decade. Republicans used a similar process last year to allocate $75 billion for ICE enforcement over four fiscal years. However, that approach also revealed internal party divisions, particularly over proposed spending cuts to programs like Medicaid and food assistance.
With no immediate deadline forcing consensus, some Republican lawmakers have expressed concern about maintaining unity as negotiations continue and election-year pressures intensify.
