Senate Funds DHS, Excludes ICE, TSA Staffing Crisis Eases

The 42-day funding lapse forced tens of thousands of DHS employees to work without pay or quit, leading to long waits at airports and a 40% absence rate for TSA officers, with 480 quitting, as reported by TSA acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeil. Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, refused ICE funding due to concerns over immigration enforcement tactics, citing federal officers killing two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, criticized Democrats for not seeking a comprehensive solution. The bill now moves to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed opposition to piecemeal funding.

Republicans plan to fund ICE through a party-line reconciliation bill, potentially including elements of the Trump-backed Save America Act, but this effort faces challenges regarding reconciliation rules and internal disagreements over other inclusions like Iran war funding. Congress will return next month to unresolved debates on immigration enforcement and voting procedures.