US government funding standoff over DHS, ICE, and TSA pay during partial shutdown
Consensus Summary
The US government faced a prolonged funding standoff over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget, with the Senate passing a bipartisan deal on March 29 to fund most DHS componentsāincluding TSA and the Coast Guardāwhile excluding ICE and part of Customs and Border Protection. The House rejected this deal, passing its own stopgap bill that fully funds ICE, border patrol, and TSA for eight weeks, prolonging the shutdown. TSA officers, who had worked without pay since mid-February, began receiving paychecks after Donald Trump ordered executive action on March 28 to resolve the emergency. The dispute stems from Democratic demands for reforms to ICE following two US citizen deaths at the hands of ICE agents in Minneapolis, while Republicans criticized the Senate deal for leaving borders āunsecured.ā The funding impasse caused severe disruptions, including record-high TSA absences and airport delays, with nearly 500 officers quitting. Trumpās executive order temporarily resolved TSA pay issues, but the broader political fight continues as the House and Senate remain divided over immigration policy and funding priorities.
ā Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The US Senate passed a funding package for DHS on March 29 that excludes ICE and part of CBP, funding instead TSA, US Coast Guard, and FEMA (Article 1 & 2).
- The Senate approved the funding package by a voice vote in a rare overnight session (Article 1 & 2).
- TSA staff have worked without pay since mid-February (February 13) due to the funding lapse (Article 1, 2, 3).
- The House of Representatives must still act on the Senateās funding package before agencies can reopen (Article 1, 2, 3).
- TSA absences reached their highest level since the partial shutdown began, with nearly 500 officers quitting (Article 1, 3).
- Donald Trump ordered executive action on March 28 to pay TSA agents immediately via DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin (Article 1, 2).
- The Senate failed to pass an amendment to the Save America Act requiring voter photo ID, voting 52-47 (Article 2).
- The US Senate Appropriations Committee chair Susan Collins criticized Democrats for damaging Congressā funding process (Article 2).
- The House passed a competing stopgap DHS funding bill on March 29, fully funding ICE and border patrol for eight weeks (Article 3).
- The House bill passed 213-203, with Speaker Mike Johnson calling the Senate deal a 'joke' (Article 3).
- TSA officers began receiving paychecks as early as March 30 after Trumpās executive order (Article 3)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Donald Trump said he would take executive action to pay 50,000 airport security workers before the Senate deal was reached (March 28).
- Trump cited Democratic demands related to the Save America Act (voter proof of citizenship) as a condition for DHS funding.
- Trump stated ICE agents would be deployed to airports until Democrats agree to a DHS budget bill.
- Renee Good and Alex Pretti (US citizens) were killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis, prompting Democratic demands for reform.
- Trumpās remarks about Iran included claims Iran was 'begging to make a deal' and letting 10 tankers through Hormuz (no verification in other sources).
- Trump wants to renovate the White House treaty room into a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom (NYT report).
- US markets saw their biggest slump since the US-Israel war with Iran began, with Dow down 450 points (March 28).
- Trumpās signature will appear on US paper currency for the first time since 1861 to commemorate the 250th anniversary.
- The Senate funding agreement came hours after Trump announced he would sign an order instructing DHS to pay TSA agents immediately (March 28).
- Trump urged Republicans to terminate the Senate filibuster during a cabinet meeting (March 29).
- G7 foreign ministers met in France amid Trumpās complaints about allies ignoring requests for help in the Iran war (March 29).
- The EPA under Trump weakened formaldehyde regulations by relying on studies by chemical industry scientist Rory Conolly, funded by trade groups (FOIA documents).
- The Biden EPA reversed these findings in late 2024, but Trumpās EPA aligned with Conollyās outdated or unreliable data in 2025.
- A three-day meeting in 2023 involved EPA and top formaldehyde producers, including Conolly, to weaken regulations.
- The House speaker Mike Johnson called the Senate deal a 'joke' for withholding money for ICE and border patrol (March 29).
- Johnson stated Trump āunderstands exactly what weāre doing and why, and he supports itā (March 29).
- Houstonās international airport had security lines stretching far into the distance, with airport staff handing out water (AFP report, March 29).
- The Senateās bipartisan deal was described as ādead on arrivalā in the House by Chuck Schumer (March 29).
- The partial shutdown has extended to at least April 9 due to the Houseās competing bill (March 29).
- Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would seek a House vote on the Senateās bipartisan measure.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 states Trump said he would pay 50,000 airport security workers via executive action before the Senate deal, but Article 3 clarifies the order was to pay TSA agents immediately via DHS Secretary Mullin (no mention of 50,000).
- Article 2 reports Trumpās signature will appear on US currency for the first time since 1861, but Article 1 does not mention this detail.
- Article 1 and 2 describe the Senate funding package as excluding ICE and part of CBP, while Article 3 states the Houseās competing bill fully funds ICE and border patrol for eight weeks (no contradiction in exclusions, but opposing approaches).
- Article 2 includes detailed reporting on the EPAās reversal of formaldehyde regulations and industry influence, which is not mentioned in Articles 1 or 3.
- Article 1 and 3 mention Trumpās executive order to pay TSA agents, but Article 2 emphasizes the timing of this order as occurring hours before the Senate deal passed (March 28).
Source Articles
Senate approves funding deal for most of DHS, ending shutdown ā US politics live
The deal would mean TSA staff, who screen airport passengers, baggage and cargo, would start being paid for the first time since mid-February Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter a...
US Senate passes funding package for Homeland Security that excludes ICE
House of Representatives still needs to act before funded agencies such as airport security can reopen, CNN reports The US Senate has passed legislation that will finance most of the Department of Hom...
US House passes stopgap DHS funding bill after Republicans reject Senate deal
Bill passes by 213 to 203 votes in move prolonging weeks-long budget standoff that has disrupted travel US House Republicans rejected a bipartisan Senate deal to temporarily fund the Department of Hom...