Senate Passes Funding Bill to End Partial Government Shutdown

In the early hours of Friday, five senators voted on a funding bill to wrap up the partial government shutdown just ahead of a two-week Easter recess.

Democrats in the Senate have pushed for new limitations on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Following the January shootings involving Alex Preti and Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, tensions erupted between ICE agents and individuals protesting against federal immigration activities. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota and Sen. Eric Schmidt from Missouri took part in the vote, alongside Democrats Brian Schatz from Hawaii and Andy Kim from New Jersey. The session was led by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio and observed by Punch Bowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio.

The current bill does not accommodate Democratic requests, which included a mandate for ICE agents to stop wearing masks and requiring “judicial warrants” for entering private properties to apprehend undocumented individuals. Furthermore, it lacks funding for ICE agents, and certain areas of U.S. Customs and Border Protection remain unfunded as well.

On Monday, President Donald Trump directed ICE agents to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports during the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. This decision was made in response to long lines caused by TSA workers taking leave due to illness or nonpayment.

After approximately eight hours, the situation improved following Trump’s directive to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullen to reward TSA employees for their contributions on social media. Trump expressed his frustration, stating that Democrats had created a national crisis, and he would utilize his powers to safeguard the country. His order aimed to ensure TSA officers were compensated quickly to alleviate disruptions at airports.

The adjusted bill still requires approval from the House of Representatives, but its outlook is unclear. The Senate had also struggled to pass it previously, with related legislative proposals, like the Save America Act, which aims to tighten voter registration and ID requirements, also facing challenges.