Senate passes budget with two more weeks of Homeland Security funding

Senate Passes Budget, Excludes DHS Funding Amid ICE Reform Showdown

In a dramatic late-night session, the U.S. Senate voted 71-29 to pass a sweeping federal budget that funds the entire government—except for one critical agency: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Instead, DHS received only a two-week funding extension, effectively putting the agency on a countdown clock as lawmakers scramble to negotiate new guardrails around Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If no deal is struck, DHS could face a shutdown by mid-March, marking the second government closure in under a year.

The budget deal emerged from intense, last-minute negotiations involving a united Democratic caucus, Republican leadership, and the White House. The standoff was triggered by growing Democratic outrage over ICE’s controversial tactics, which reached a boiling point after federal agents killed Alex Pretti during a protest in Minneapolis. In response, Senate Democrats—who rarely act in lockstep—announced they would unanimously withhold support for DHS funding without significant ICE reforms.

“This is about accountability,” said one Democratic senator. “We cannot continue to fund an agency that operates without oversight or regard for human rights.”

The political calculus appears to be working in Democrats’ favor. A poll conducted by the Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC found that a solid majority of voters support the Democrats’ hardline stance, with many ready to place the blame on Republicans if the government shuts down over the issue.

The House of Representatives is set to reconvene on Monday to approve the stopgap bill, but the real battle is just beginning. With DHS funding set to expire in two weeks, the clock is ticking for lawmakers to reach a compromise—or risk another government shutdown that could disrupt everything from airport security to disaster response.

As the nation watches, one thing is clear: the fight over ICE and DHS funding is far from over, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

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