House Passes DHS Funding Bill Amid Standoff, Senate Rejection Looms
The vote marks the second House passage of DHS funding this year, following a January approval, as the agency remains partially shut down since February 14 due to lapsed appropriations.
WASHINGTON – The House approved a bill Thursday to fund the Department of Homeland Security through fiscal 2026, passing 221-209 with four Democrats joining Republicans, but the measure appears doomed in the Senate amid a partisan impasse over immigration enforcement.
The vote marks the second House passage of DHS funding this year, following a January approval, as the agency remains partially shut down since February 14 due to lapsed appropriations. Republicans invoked heightened threats from the Iran conflict to urge swift action, warning of risks to border security and counterterrorism. Democrats demand reforms to DHS tactics, including limits on mass deportations and family separations, rejecting GOP proposals as insufficient.
Earlier Thursday, Senate Democrats blocked a similar measure 51-45, with only Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) supporting it; 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has not ruled out separating DHS from other funding bills, but negotiations stall without bipartisan compromise.
The bill includes provisions for border wall construction, increased detention beds, and deportation flights, aligning with President Trump's priorities. Odds in the Senate remain low without Democratic concessions, potentially prolonging the shutdown and straining operations amid global tensions.