DHS Shutdown Reaches 60 Days as House Republicans Consider Reconciliation Bill

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been partially shut down for 60 days as of Wednesday. S. history. Congress returned to session following the Easter recess, but no vote has been scheduled on a Senate-passed bill to fund most DHS operations.

House Republicans have expressed frustration with the Senate's funding bill, which excludes funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and parts of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). They view this exclusion as a potential defunding of law enforcement agencies.

In response, Republicans are considering a "skinny" budget reconciliation bill to provide funding for ICE and CBP through the remainder of the current presidential term.

Budget reconciliation allows Congress to pass certain legislation with a simple majority, bypassing the need for bipartisan support. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that Republicans may need to pursue this process to ensure continued funding for these agencies. He mentioned the intention to fund the agencies for three years into the future.

Republican Leadership Coordination John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are scheduled to meet on Wednesday to align both chambers on the reconciliation plan.

Johnson said the House would address essential government functions first and then handle the rest of DHS funding. He expected the Senate to pass its budget blueprint by the middle to end of next week. The process requires both chambers to approve identical budget resolutions before proceeding with reconciliation.

It remains unclear if this can occur before the House's next recess at the end of April. House Republicans have not scheduled a vote on the Senate's DHS bill for this week.

He noted the urgency to resolve the issue and address ongoing challenges.

Broader Congressional Context The House is also addressing the extension of federal surveillance powers, set to expire next week, which has delayed focus on the shutdown.

The shutdown originated from disagreements over funding, particularly for immigration enforcement. Democrats have supported funding bills that exclude ICE and CBP allocations. Senate Republicans met behind closed doors on Tuesday to discuss the plan.

Some members advocate offsetting ICE and Border Patrol funding with cuts elsewhere, though leadership views the reconciliation package as part of the standard appropriations process without requiring such offsets. Democrats have accused Republicans of prolonging the shutdown through partisan measures.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Republicans could resolve the issue immediately. He described the process as a partisan effort to avoid accountability for ICE and Border Patrol funding. The shutdown affects DHS operations, including border security and immigration enforcement.

Essential functions continue with limited staff, but non-essential activities are paused. Resolution depends on congressional action, with the reconciliation bill as the current proposed path forward.