Image: The New York Times

House and Senate GOP Leaders Unite To End DHS Shutdown with Two-Track Plan

01 April, 2026.USA.15 sources

Key Takeaways

Johnson and Thune announced plan to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security.
Plan uses two parallel tracks, funding regular DHS operations and immigration enforcement separately.
End the record-long DHS shutdown and resume normal department operations.

Two-Track Plan

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a two-track plan to fully fund DHS.

“Republican leaders in Congress announce plan to end Homeland Security shutdown Republican leaders in Congress announce plan to end Homeland Security shutdown WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a plan Wednesday to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, moving past a split between the two Republican leaders that resulted in Congress leaving Washington last week without a fix to a record-setting partial government shutdown”

Associated Press

The first track returns to the Senate plan to fund most of DHS except ICE and Border Patrol.

Associated Press

On the second track, Republicans would try to fund those agencies through party-line spending legislation.

The plan represents a do-over of the bipartisan funding agreement the Senate passed last week.

GOP Divisions

The GOP plan still faces internal divisions.

Some House Republicans balk at separating immigration enforcement funding.

Association of Defense Communities

Trump initially resisted any package that did not include his immigration push.

GOP leaders pressed forward to get DHS reopened quickly.

Imminent Senate Vote

The Senate could approve the funding plan as soon as Thursday morning.

“Washington — Republican leaders in Congress and President Trump unveiled a plan Wednesday to end the partial government shutdown and fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, that the Senate pursued last week before it was quickly batted down by House Republicans”