The U.S. Senate voted overnight to pass a bill that would reopen all of the Department of Homeland Security, except a few immigration enforcement agencies.
Why it matters: The vote puts Congress one step closer to ending a 42-day shutdown that has resulted in widespread airport security disruptions and missed paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers at key national security agencies.
- The breakthrough came after President Trump announced Thursday he planned to sign an order directing newly confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to begin paying TSA workers, sidestepping Congress.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) responded by telling Senate colleagues he still wanted to find a way to fund DHS through the traditional appropriations process rather than procedural workarounds.
What happened: Thune motioned early Friday morning to pass a bill that would fund most DHS sub-agencies, minus ICE and Customs and Border Protection, until September.
- The bill passed unanimously, meaning none of the chamber's 53 Republicans or 47 Democrats objected.
The bill now heads to the House, where Democrats have notably been pushing for a very similar step to the one Thune took.
- Several House Democrats told Axios they plan to vote for the measure and expect their colleagues to as well without much controversy.
- "I think they have to vote yes," one House Dem said. "Want to go home. Airports a mess."
- But the lack of funding for ICE and CBP may pose issues on the GOP side of things, according to multiple House Republicans, one of whom told Axios: "It's a problem."
What's next: If the bill passes, negotiations would focus in on ICE and CBP, which have been the subject of heated debate in recent months following the killings of several U.S. citizens during enforcement operations in Minnesota earlier this year.
- The immigration enforcement agencies have remained open throughout the shutdown, however, thanks to roughly $75 billion in additional funds provided through the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
- Democrats have pushed hard for substantial reforms at the agencies, but Republicans and the Trump administration have thus far largely resisted giving in to their demands.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to describe John Thune as the Senate majority (not minority) leader.
