Senate negotiations to end a 38-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown hit a major snag after former president Donald Trump urged Republicans not to make a deal unless the SAVE America Act is attached. His demand—pressing for proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID requirement—complicated talks as some senators continued working toward a partial funding deal.
Trump urged GOP senators to delay votes and stay in Washington, telling supporters to hold off on quick action. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the former president’s demand a wrinkle, saying it was not realistic to guarantee passage of the elections bill. Thune and other leaders have said they lack the votes to pass the SAVE Act under current Senate rules.
Late last week a bipartisan group of senators met with border czar Tom Homan, creating cautious optimism after signs of greater willingness to negotiate. Progress stalled over the weekend, and by Monday several members of both parties suggested a narrower funding path might be possible: approving most DHS operations while excluding ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
After a White House meeting, Republican Sen. Katie Britt said lawmakers had a solution but declined to disclose details. Some Democrats signaled they would consider funding most DHS functions while omitting ICE’s deportation unit, a proposal aimed at safeguarding TSA pay and other critical services without endorsing broader immigration enforcement funding.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described talks as serious but accused the president of trying to sabotage negotiations. Schumer said Democrats remain willing to negotiate in good faith and are focused on securing pay for Transportation Security Administration workers and further White House engagement. He also said a scheduled meeting with Homan was pulled by the White House, which he blamed on Trump’s intervention.
The shutdown has already disrupted airport operations as unpaid TSA staff face mounting strain. The administration has deployed ICE agents to more than a dozen airports to assist amid staffing shortfalls. Democrats have repeatedly offered to fund TSA and other DHS components while opposing appropriations for immigration enforcement agencies.
Some Republicans have warmed to the idea of funding non-ICE parts of DHS and pursuing alternative ways to finance immigration enforcement. Sen. John Kennedy suggested accepting a Democratic offer to reopen DHS except for ICE and then using the reconciliation process to fund ICE separately. Thune acknowledged multiple ideas are circulating and said no options were off the table.
Independent Sen. Angus King, who caucuses with Democrats, said he had not seen a written GOP offer but understood leaders might propose funding all DHS agencies except ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Sen. Chris Coons noted such a plan would still fund Customs and Border Protection and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, possibly paired with some reforms to immigration enforcement.
ICE and CBP remain partially insulated from the shutdown because last summer’s large appropriations package allocated substantial funding for immigration operations. Trump also posted on Truth Social urging Republicans not to make a deal unless Democrats back the elections bill.
As talks continue, lawmakers face a looming two-week Easter recess at the end of the week; Thune suggested the Senate could remain in session until the shutdown is resolved. Both parties expressed willingness to keep negotiating while trying to protect critical DHS functions and pay for frontline workers.