House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a deal on Wednesday to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security through September, while securing three years of funding for ICE and Border Patrol separately via budget reconciliation. The move, backed by President Trump, aims to bypass Democratic votes and end the record 47-day shutdown. Congress could act as early as Thursday despite being on recess.
Senate and House Republican leaders released a joint statement Wednesday outlining the two-track approach. The House plans to take up a Senate-passed measure from last week funding DHS—excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection—through the end of September. ICE and Border Patrol would then receive three years of funding through a party-line reconciliation bill that requires only a simple Senate majority, avoiding the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Johnson and Thune wrote that this will fully reopen DHS, pay federal workers, and ensure uninterrupted immigration enforcement. President Trump endorsed the plan on Truth Social, urging Republicans to deliver the reconciliation bill to his desk no later than June 1. He stated, “We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer welcomed the partial funding but criticized Republican divisions, saying, “For days, Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction.” Democrats had sought reforms like mask bans for agents and judicial warrants, but the deal includes none. Last week, internal GOP disagreements surfaced: the Senate advanced its limited plan, while the House passed a 60-day continuing resolution fully funding DHS until May 22, which stalled in the Senate. Some conservatives remain opposed. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., of the House Freedom Caucus, posted on X, “Caving to Democrats and not paying CBP and ICE is agreeing to defund Law Enforcement.” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, echoed, “Funding for ICE and CBP must never be separated from DHS funding.” Despite a two-week recess, leaders hope to use unanimous consent as early as Thursday to pass the initial funding, though objections could delay action until members return.
