WASHINGTON (TNND) — Hope for a breakthrough in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding collapsed Tuesday, as a nearly 40-day standoff between lawmakers showed little sign of resolution.
The impasse reflects a deeper dispute not just over funding levels, but over whether immigration enforcement policy should be tied to any deal to reopen the agency.
President Donald Trump signaled tentative support for the latest Republican proposal to end the partial shutdown, but stopped short of a full endorsement. His ambiguity complicated efforts to unify Republicans and build momentum behind the plan.
GOP leaders had proposed reopening DHS while only partially funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), attempting to sidestep the most contentious issues. Democrats rejected the proposal, arguing it would allow ICE to continue operating without meaningful reforms.
Trump on Wednesday once again blamed the Democrats for the “airport’s mess” and accused the party of wanting our “country to do badly.”
“They want our Country to fail. They broke the already signed Bill because they want to take care of Criminals who enter our Country illegally, rather than American citizens,” Trump ranted on Truth Social, while thanking “ICE Patriots for helping.”
He added that he “may call up the National Guard for more help.”
Democrats are pushing for new limits on ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including requiring judicial warrants for certain actions and restricting the use of face coverings by federal agents.
Adding to the upheaval, Markwayne Mullin was sworn in this week as DHS secretary, taking the helm of the agency in the middle of the ongoing shutdown.
“We have to rein in ICE and stop the violence. We need reform,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after meeting with Democratic colleagues. “Every one of my colleagues believes we should be unified, and we need reforms of ICE — every single
He added that Democrats would respond with their own proposal that includes “significant reform.”
Republicans, meanwhile, were divided. Some backed the proposal as a pragmatic way to reopen the agency, while others opposed it, arguing it conceded too much without guarantees on future policy priorities, including election-related provisions.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune criticized Democrats for rejecting the offer. “Their political games must stop,” he said, warning that airport disruptions would worsen.
Without Democratic support — and with some Republican defections — the proposal never had a viable path to the 60 votes needed to advance in the Senate.
The effects of the shutdown are increasingly visible. Roughly 450 TSA officers have quit since funding lapsed, contributing to long lines and staffing shortages at airports nationwide. In response, the administration deployed ICE agents to assist with crowd control and other support roles.
With lawmakers set to leave Washington for a two-week recess at the end of the week, pressure is mounting to reach a deal — or risk prolonging a shutdown that is straining both national security operations and the traveling public.
