Senate votes to end most of Homeland Security shutdown

By Jordain Carney, Jennifer Scholtes | 03/27/2026 06:20 AM EDT

The House could act as soon as Friday to reopen most parts of the sprawling agency.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) speaks with reporters.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) at the Capitol on Thursday. Francis Chung/POLITICO

After two months of unyielding negotiations, both parties gave up early Friday on reaching a grand accord to reform and fund the Department of Homeland Security.

Instead, Senate Republicans accepted what Democrats have been offering for weeks — cash for all of DHS except for ICE and part of Customs and Border Protection.

The Senate approved the funding package by voice vote and is now expected to begin a scheduled two-week recess. The House could vote as soon as Friday, before the shutdown would break the record Saturday night for the longest funding lapse of any federal agency in U.S. history.

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the outcome “unfortunate” Friday.

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