Senate Unanimously Approves Bill To Fund DHS … But With 2 Exceptions

on Mar 27, 2026

On the 42nd day of a partial government shutdown, the Senate voted to advance a bill to the House of Representatives which would fund DHS, but with two major exceptions...

On March 27, the 42nd day of a partial government shutdown, the Senate voted to advance a bill to the House of Representatives which would fund DHS, but with two major exceptions: no funding for Border Patrol and ICE. (Photo credit: Mayer Tawfik / Unsplash)

It Has Been 42 Days Since Funding Lapsed For DHS

Just after 2 a.m. on Friday, March 27, the Senate voted unanimously to pass a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security.

While it includes two significant caveats, in that Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remain unfunded in this plan, this is a significant step forward as the longest partial government shutdown in American history continues into its 42nd day.

The Senate’s vote came a matter of hours after President Donald Trump announced he was directing newly sworn in DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin to immediately fund paychecks for TSA staffers who have gone without pay since Feb. 14.

Trump’s decision to pay TSA employees could’ve been made earlier, as some Democrat legislators have noted, but was prioritized as pressure mounted at airports across the nation, with travelers facing lengthy lines and safety concerns.

Without receiving a paycheck in the month of March, many TSA and Air Traffic Control employees were beginning to not show up for work.

Thanking TSA agents, as well as ICE officers who have been stationed at airports, Trump posted on Truth Social:

“Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country, as I always will do! Therefore, I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports.”

Responding to Trump’s push on March 26 to pay TSA employees, Sec. Mullin expressed on X, formerly Twitter, his appreciation of Trump for deciding to end the “chaos at our airports,” placing blame “solely” on Democrats.

See his full comments, here:

I want to thank @POTUS for his leadership in finding a way to pay our TSA officers to end this chaos at our airports. These hours long lines and thousands of Americans missing their flights was caused solely by the Democrats reckless @DHSgov shutdown.

Many of DHS’ frontline… https://t.co/QESzlb85ey
— Secretary Markwayne Mullin (@SecMullinDHS) March 27, 2026

The Senate-Backed DHS Funding Bill Advances To The House

Looking to the Senate’s approval of the a DHS funding bill, it now moves ton the House where a lack of funding for Border Patrol and ICE may prove contentious.

The Senate’s vote came about on the 42nd day of a partial government shutdown that has persisted as Democrats and Republicans have sparred in the Senate over the Trump administration’s enforcement of immigration laws.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, described ICE and Border Patrol as “Donald Trump’s rogue and deadly militia,” noting the killings of two residents of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

See his full statement on the Senate passing funding for DHS, here:

After weeks of negotiations, Republicans caved to our demands to fund DHS without a blank check for ICE and CBP.

My full statement below: pic.twitter.com/KGvgL7VcqL
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 27, 2026

During this shutdown, leadership at the helm of DHS has changed, with President Donald Trump assigning embattled Kristi Noem to serve as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas on March 5, with Sec. Mullin being sworn in on March 24.

Now, the bill advances to the House of Representatives, where the Republican majority of 217 cannot afford more than three Representatives voting “no,” as Democrats have 214 members.

Notably, there is one Independent in the House as of March 9, as Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-CA, announced he would not be continuing his term as a Republican. There are also three vacancies in the House.

A vote on the Senate-backed bill to fund DHS, excluding Border Patrol and ICE, could be voted on as early as today, March 27. It remains to be seen if these exceptions will prove to be a dealbreaker for Republicans in the House.

If the House approves the bill, as is, it would then advance to Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

This is a developing story.