The Senate agreed early Friday to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to relieve long airport lines and staffing disruptions caused by Transportation Security Administration workers going more than a month without full paychecks. The measure, approved by unanimous consent shortly after 2 a.m., funds all of DHS except Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Border Patrol — exclusions Democrats had been insisting on as part of demands for immigration reforms. The House still must pass the legislation.
The action came hours after President Trump announced he would sign an executive order directing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to “immediately” pay TSA officers, calling the staffing shortages and long security lines an “emergency situation.” The White House later indicated the administration plans to use funding from last summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act to pay TSA staff, though officials have not specified which provision would be repurposed and the move could face legal challenges. The administration compared the plan to last fall’s decision to repurpose Defense Department funds to keep military pay flowing during a shutdown.
Union and industry responses
Everett Kelly, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents tens of thousands of TSA officers, said the union is “grateful” that TSA staff will “finally be paid” but stressed that other unpaid DHS employees also need pay immediately. Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu praised the president and DHS Secretary for implementing a solution to pay tens of thousands of TSA officers, noting the impact unpaid wages have had on families and aviation operations.
Senate dynamics and negotiations
The Senate vote followed a string of failed attempts to advance DHS funding. Earlier Thursday, the chamber had failed for a seventh time to advance the measure in a 53–47 procedural vote; Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to support moving forward. Senate Majority Leader Thune said the GOP had offered what he called a “last and final” proposal and expressed willingness to tweak language if Democrats identified final items they wanted changed.
Republicans have pressed to strip funding for ICE’s deportation arm from the DHS package; their offer would fund the department while excluding ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. Democrats pushed back, seeking reforms to immigration enforcement and stronger protections for certain migrants. Some Democrats proposed funding all DHS agencies except ICE and CBP, while also seeking reforms such as training standards and identification requirements for immigration officers. Republicans rejected a Democratic counterproposal as insufficient, arguing it was politically motivated.
Key senators involved in talks described ongoing negotiations. Sen. Katie Britt said Republicans had “very fruitful conversations” with Democrats and hoped to find a pathway forward. Independent Sen. Angus King said Democrats were reviewing the GOP offer. Sen. Andy Kim said the GOP offer was “not where we want it to be.” Thune characterized Democratic demands as moving the goalposts and said the vote to fund most of DHS represented Republicans trying to close the impasse.
Procedural context and other votes
The votes came amid broader Senate business, including a failed party-line vote to advance a photo ID amendment tied to the SAVE America Act. The Senate was operating under pressure with a scheduled two-week recess looming; leaders left open the possibility of staying in session if the impasse persisted. House Republicans had already passed DHS funding through September for a third time, but those bills repeatedly stalled in the Senate for lack of 60 votes.
President’s posture and potential unilateral measures
In recent days, President Trump urged Republicans to end the filibuster to pass DHS funding and to pair DHS funding with his favored elections bill. He warned of “very drastic measures” if the shutdown continued and floated options such as declaring a national emergency to free funds to pay TSA personnel. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the best and easiest way to pay TSA agents is for Congress to fund DHS.
Next steps
With the Senate having approved funding for most of DHS, the next step is House passage. If the House approves the Senate measure, it would move toward ending the immediate pay issues at TSA, though questions remain about back pay timing, the legal authority for any executive action to pay officers, and the status of other unpaid DHS employees. Congressional leaders from both parties said discussions would continue to try to finalize a broader, bipartisan appropriations deal that funds the department through the fiscal year.