House Conservatives Reject Senate-Passed DHS Funding Deal

House conservatives are backing away from a Senate-approved plan aimed at ending a 42-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Their concern? The bill doesn’t adequately support President Donald Trump’s immigration measures.

The House Freedom Caucus declared on Friday that they would not support any DHS funding package until Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) receive full-year budget allocations. Additionally, they’re pushing for voter ID requirements to be included.

HFC Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) expressed disbelief, stating, “I can’t believe the Senate this morning failed to fund ICE’s child sex trafficking investigation unit and neglected Border Patrol.” He emphasized their position: “We can only back this if it includes necessary funding, voter ID, and then it should go back to the Senate for further action.” He concluded, “This deal is simply not good for America.”

Discontent Among House Republicans

The Senate’s version, which would fund the DHS but exclude parts of ICE and Border Patrol, has left many conservatives frustrated. They perceive the agreement as giving in to Democratic demands.

Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), in remarks to Fox News Digital, stressed, “We need to ensure a situation like this doesn’t happen again,” clearly opposing the funding arrangement. While the bill omits the immigration reforms sought by Democrats, it signals a win for Republicans. In the meantime, Scott and others are hinting at a forthcoming budget proposal that could impact Trump’s immigration stance.

With conservatives pushing back, House Republican leaders plan to propose a short-term funding solution for all DHS agencies, including ICE and Border Patrol, as confirmed by sources. The rejection of the Senate deal could compel senators to return during their break as soon as next week. The DHS’s ongoing 60-day continuing resolution (CR) is likely to face significant challenges in the Senate, especially with Democrats opposing funding for Trump’s immigration measures without reforms.

This disagreement could lead to what might be the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) stated on Fox News, “Our primary objective is to ensure adequate funding for the Department of Homeland Security. There are numerous threats we have to address.” Meanwhile, House Democrats, who have shown support for the Senate agreement, may resist a temporary funding measure that includes ICE funding.

Opposition from House Conservatives

The shift in House Republican strategy follows significant pushback from their right flank regarding the Senate consensus, complicating its approval. The standard partisan vote typically necessary for final approval may likely fail if Democrats withdraw support and several Republicans defect. Moreover, House rules prevent Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from advancing the bill through a stay vote, which requires a two-thirds majority during the timeframe from Thursday to Sunday.

Some in the House are expressing frustrations regarding the stalled SAVE America Act in the Senate, attributing the delay to bipartisan opposition from all Senate Democrats and some moderate Republicans. The Senate adjourned for an Easter break without resolving the election integrity bill endorsed by Trump.

“We should amend the Senate bill, add voter ID, and compel a Senate vote,” Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) argued on social media. Notably, Senate Democrats filibustered a voter ID proposal last Thursday, authored by Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio).

Conservative Republicans claim that delays in advancing a DHS funding package won’t adversely affect air travel, as Trump acted on Thursday to provide funding for the struggling Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Harris remarked, “The president has already indicated he plans to fund TSA from his reserves. Not acting on this now won’t impact airports.”