US government shutdown over DHS funding dispute with focus on ICE and CBP exclusion
Consensus Summary
The US government remains in a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security after Democrats blocked funding without new restrictions on ICE and CBP agents. The Senate passed a bill funding most of DHS (excluding ICE and CBP) on 15 March, but House Republicans initially rejected it, passing their own 60-day measure instead. On 20 March, Republican leaders Mike Johnson and John Thune agreed to advance the Senate’s bill and abandon the House measure, with plans to fund ICE and CBP separately via budget reconciliation. The shutdown, now the longest in history, began in mid-February after Democrats tied funding to reforms following two US citizen deaths in an ICE crackdown in Minneapolis. Airport security lines worsened in late February due to unpaid TSA agents, though they shortened after Trump’s executive order backpaying them on 19 March. Both chambers are on recess until 22 March, with brief sessions on 21 March where the Senate’s bill may be taken up. Democrats criticize Republicans for prolonging the shutdown, while right-wing House members oppose separating ICE/CBP funding from DHS. The reconciliation process, led by Lindsey Graham, aims to include funding for Iran conflict and voter ID measures, with Trump seeking the bill by 1 June.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been without funding since mid-February 2024 after Democrats refused to approve appropriations without new guardrails on ICE and CBP agents' conduct.
- The Senate passed a funding measure for most of DHS (excluding ICE and parts of CBP) on 15 March 2024, which was unanimously approved.
- House Republicans initially rejected the Senate bill and passed their own 60-day funding measure for all of DHS, which Senate Democrats threatened to block via filibuster.
- Republican leaders Mike Johnson (House Speaker) and John Thune (Senate Majority Leader) agreed on 20 March 2024 to advance the Senate’s DHS funding bill (excluding ICE/CBP) and abandon the 60-day House bill.
- The partial shutdown caused security lines at airports to stretch for hours in late February 2024 due to TSA agents going weeks without pay, though lines shortened after Donald Trump signed an executive order on 19 March 2024 to backpay TSA employees.
- The current shutdown is the longest in US history, surpassing previous records.
- The House and Senate are on recess through 22 March 2024, with brief pro forma sessions scheduled for 21 March 2024 where the Senate’s DHS bill may be taken up.
- Lindsey Graham (Senate Budget Committee Chair) will lead a reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CBP separately, using budget reconciliation to bypass the filibuster.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) provided continued funding for ICE and CBP operations despite the partial DHS shutdown.
- Donald Trump endorsed the plan by Johnson and Thune to fund DHS (excluding ICE/CBP) first, then pursue reconciliation for ICE/CBP funding.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- John Thune formally rejected the House’s 60-day bill in a ceremonial session on 21 March 2024, sending the Senate’s version back to the House, but the House did not take up the Senate bill during its own pro forma session that same morning.
- Chuck Schumer (Senate Democratic minority leader) stated ‘House Republicans own the longest government shutdown in history’ and accused them of prolonging the shutdown due to internal divisions.
- Keith Self (House Freedom Caucus member) tweeted on 20 March 2024 that ‘Funding for ICE and CBP must never be separated from DHS funding,’ criticizing the plan to isolate ICE/CBP funding.
- Trump stated he wants the reconciliation bill on his desk by 1 June 2024.
- Lindsey Graham signaled the reconciliation bill may include funding for the US-Iran conflict and elements of the Save America Act (voter ID requirements).
- Mike Johnson and John Thune’s joint statement explicitly credited Lindsey Graham’s Senate budget committee for initiating the reconciliation process to fund ICE and CBP separately.
- Hakeem Jeffries (House Democratic minority leader) stated ‘Mike Johnson and House Republicans have come to realize that we will never bend the knee,’ signaling Democratic willingness to support the Senate bill.
- Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of prolonging the shutdown by initially rejecting the Senate bill and attempting to pass a 60-day measure without Democratic support, calling it ‘Republican chaos.’
- The article notes that ICE and other agencies continued arrests and deportations during the shutdown using funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which is not mentioned in Article 1.
- The article highlights that Democrats’ demand for reforms was prompted by the deaths of two US citizens during an ICE crackdown in Minneapolis in January 2024.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 states the House did not take up the Senate’s DHS funding bill during its pro forma session on 21 March 2024, while Article 2 does not mention whether the House acted on the bill during that session.
- Article 1 mentions Trump’s executive order backpaying TSA employees was signed on 19 March 2024, while Article 2 does not specify the exact date of the order but confirms it occurred earlier in the week.
- Article 1 does not explicitly state that the Senate’s DHS bill was sent back to the House by Thune, while Article 2 implies this action occurred as part of the agreement to advance the bill.
- Article 1 emphasizes internal Republican divisions and objections from the House Freedom Caucus, while Article 2 focuses more on the bipartisan agreement and Democratic willingness to support the bill.
- Article 1 does not mention the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) as a source of continued funding for ICE/CBP during the shutdown, while Article 2 explicitly references it.
Source Articles
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