Senate Fails Fifth DHS Funding Vote as Democrats Seek TSA-Only Funding

The Senate rejected a fifth attempt to advance Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding legislation on March 20, 2026.

“The Senate rejected a fifth attempt to advance Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding legislation Friday, March 20, as negotiators prepared for a second meeting in two days, with Democrats proposing to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) separately from immigration enforcement agencies”

Homeland Security Today

The cloture motion to move forward with the full DHS appropriations bill failed with a vote of 47-37, falling well short of the 60 votes needed.

Homeland Security Today

Only Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) crossed party lines to support the measure.

Sixteen senators from both parties missed the critical vote.

This marked the fifth consecutive failed attempt to secure funding for the entire department.

The DHS shutdown entered its 35th day with no resolution in sight.

The repeated failures reflected deep partisan divisions over immigration enforcement restrictions and funding approaches.

Democrats intensified their push to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) separately from immigration enforcement agencies.

They framed the debate as a choice between supporting airport security workers and Republican demands for unrestrained ICE funding.

The Hill

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) offered a motion to fund TSA separately from ICE and CBP.

Schumer argued Republicans were 'tying TSA funding to also continue funding for ICE without any reform of ICE.'

Democratic senators accused Republicans of voting against paying TSA agents while airport chaos grew.

Patty Murray stated that 'Republicans are preventing TSA agents from getting paid while airport lines grow longer across the country.'

The prolonged DHS shutdown has created significant operational challenges and financial hardship for TSA workers.

“The Senate rejected a fifth attempt to advance Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding legislation Friday, March 20, as negotiators prepared for a second meeting in two days, with Democrats proposing to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) separately from immigration enforcement agencies”

Homeland Security Today

Approximately 60,000 TSA employees missed their first full paychecks as the shutdown completed its first month.

Internal data showed absences at TSA have doubled since the shutdown began.

More than 300 TSA agents have left the agency entirely.

Callout rates have risen to 6 percent during the shutdown compared with 2 percent before the funding lapse.

This is compounding operational difficulties during spring break travel season.

DHS Secretary nominee Markwayne Mullin testified that 280,000 DHS employees were on day 30 without pay.

These workers 'are still showing up every single day to do their job' despite not being paid.

The shutdown impacts more than 100,000 DHS employees nationwide.

Political tensions remained high as Senate negotiators attempted to break the deadlock.

Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) threatened to cancel the Senate's upcoming recess if no agreement was reached.

The Hill

Thune characterized Schumer's motion as 'convoluted' and ineffective.

Thune stated 'it doesn't do anything that the [Democratic] leader says it does.'

The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted 8-7 to send Mullin's nomination to the full Senate.

Mullin pledged to require ICE agents to obtain judicial warrants for home and business entries.

The first direct member-level dialogue in six weeks occurred on March 19.

Senators met with White House border czar Tom Homan for approximately one hour and 15 minutes.