Congress Passes Bill to Resume Funding for DHS Amid Partial Shutdown

US House Approves Funding Measure Excluding ICE, Ending Shutdown

The US House of Representatives has passed a Senate-approved proposal to resume funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs Border Protection (CBP). The bill was adopted by voice vote on Thursday, bringing an end to an 11-week partial government shutdown.

President Donald Trump signed the bill into law, following its passage in the House. The measure provides funding for DHS agencies that were not affected by the shutdown, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin welcomed the passage of the bill, stating that Democrats were responsible for the shutdown. “To be clear, this Democrat shutdown NEVER should have happened,” he wrote on X.

The partial shutdown had significant impacts on DHS operations, including long lines at airports and unpaid TSA agents. Democratic congresswoman Zoe Lofgren expressed relief over the bill’s passage, saying it would fund law-abiding agencies within DHS.

The impasse was sparked by a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which resulted in the killing of two US citizens in January. Democrats had issued demands for reforming ICE, including banning agents from wearing masks and ending racial profiling. Republicans rejected these demands, leading to the shutdown.

A legislative rule in the Senate, known as the filibuster, required lawmakers to reach a 60-vote threshold to pass major legislation. However, Republican senators are now trying to ensure funding for both DHS and ICE through a complex budget process called reconciliation.

The US Constitution gives Congress the authority to approve and allocate money for the federal government. When lawmakers fail to pass budget bills, funding lapses, and the government goes into shutdown, leading to disruptions in services and employees going without pay.

Source: Al Jazeera