Senate Passes DHS Funding To Pay TSA, Clearing Way To Reopen Airports, Excludes ICE

The Senate approved a DHS funding package that would pay TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard, and CISA while excluding ICE and most CBP funding.

“Advertisement United States: toward an agreement to end the budget stalemate A bipartisan compromise could restore funding for several federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, after weeks of gridlock”

Agefi

The measure was sent to the House as lawmakers prepared to recess, raising questions about whether the House could accept or amend the deal before a longer pause.

Alto Nivel

President Trump signaled support by promising to pay TSA agents immediately via an executive action, a move Democrats criticized as bypassing Congress.

Conservative House members immediately signaled resistance, complicating any swift passage of the Senate proposal.

This development reframes the crisis as a staged, piecemeal resolution rather than a comprehensive settlement on immigration enforcement.

The bill would fund all of DHS except ICE and CBP, a central point of Democratic demands for reforms to immigration enforcement practices.

Democrats have pressed for guardrails on ICE—such as warrants and identification—and changes to enforcement tactics before any full funding, a stance echoed across multiple outlets.

Associated Press News

Republicans argued that the package should be funded without tying it to broader immigration reforms, signaling they would pursue ICE funding in a separate reconciliation measure later.

Non-US outlets highlighted the longer-term stakes, noting that the showdown has centered on ICE reform as a condition for any broader DHS funding.

Analysts warned that while the Senate move helps immediate airport operations, the broader political struggle over immigration enforcement remains unresolved.

NPR reported that Trump would sign an order to pay TSA agents immediately, a move aimed at easing the airport backlog.

“House weighs next steps for bill to fund most of Homeland Security but not immigration enforcement Watch live from Washington as the House considers a deal passed by the Senate early Friday to pay TSA agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations”

Associated Press News

USA Today highlighted the ‘highest wait times in TSA history’ as officers missed pay and callouts surged across hubs.

The Philadelphia Inquirer described TSA officers at Philadelphia International Airport as having gone weeks without a paycheck, contributing to longer lines and stress for workers.

The Nevada Independent noted that nearly 500 TSA officers had quit nationwide, underscoring the depth of the staffing crisis.

Airport conditions varied regionally, with some locales like Reid Airport in Las Vegas experiencing notably shorter waits than major hubs.

Politico reported that the House could act as soon as Friday to reopen most parts of DHS, setting a fast track that could end the shutdown pending House passage.

CNBC described a push by House Republicans for a 60-day stopgap to fund all of DHS, a proposal that would postpone and complicate the Senate deal's fate.

BBC

BBC noted that the deal now faces a House vote, underscoring the chamber’s pivotal role in whether the package becomes law this session.

FOX 7 Austin highlighted the resistance within the House Freedom Caucus to the Senate agreement, potentially delaying any final resolution.

NBC News framed the clash as Democrats resisting a 'blank cheque' for ICE and Border Patrol, tying funding to reforms.

“US Senate votes to fund Homeland Security to end airports chaos - but ICE excluded The US Senate has voted to end a partial 40-day government shutdown, approving funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - but with immigration enforcement excluded”

BBC