Republicans End DHS Shutdown Without Funding ICE After 76-Day Standoff

Republicans in Congress voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday, effectively ending the 76-day shutdown of the department. The bill, passed by a voice vote in the House, is a win for Democrats, as it still includes no money for ICE or Border Patrol, and is now headed to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly decided to finally support the bill after a private meeting with fellow Republican leaders earlier in the day, where they agreed that the situation couldn’t continue. The GOP will still attempt to fund ICE through the reconciliation process, which takes longer but only requires a simple majority in both chambers of Congress.

Previously, House Republicans had criticized their Senate counterparts for passing the measure with a voice vote, which doesn’t record individual members’ votes, only to adopt the same method on Thursday. Conservatives expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, though they saw no viable alternatives.

Representative Chip Roy stated, “I think it’s asinine that we’re funding the government this way,” while Representative Clay Higgins remarked, “The speaker, I think, handled, under the circumstances, very well.”

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned last week that the department was nearly out of funds and soon wouldn’t be able to pay its employees. With Trump’s expected signature, employees will continue receiving paychecks. However, the future of ICE remains unresolved, as Democrats demand reforms—some even calling for its abolition—while Republicans defend its enforcement actions in U.S. cities. For now, ICE will not receive additional funding.