Senate approves DHS "partial funding" bill. No ICE funding. No reforms sought by Dems. On its way to the House.

[Miles Archer]

Senate approves partial funding for DHS, but not ICE, sending bill to the House
The package also doesn’t include any of the reforms Democrats sought and GOP lawmakers opposed.

https://www.ms.now/news/senate-approves-partial-funding-for-dhs-but-not-ice-sending-bill-to-house

Mar. 27, 2026, 4:59 AM EDT
By Mychael Schnell

After 42 days of infighting on Capitol Hill and growing security lines at airports, the Senate early Friday morning approved a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, the first — yet significant — step in ending the shutdown at the sprawling agency.

But there’s still a ways to go before the lights turn back on at DHS. The next stop is the House of Representatives, which could vote as early as Friday.

“Hopefully [the House will] be around and we can get at least a lot of the government opened up again, and then we’ll go from there,” Thune said heading to the Senate floor in the early hours of Friday morning. “But obviously we’ll still have some work ahead of us.”

The legislation — passed by unanimous consent — would fund all of DHS through the end of the fiscal year except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations at Customs and Border Protection. Republicans are looking to fund those agencies through the party-line budget reconciliation process, which could get messy down the road.

[displacedvermoter]

1. So if the Republicans can pass the ICE funding

through reconciliation, there will be no opportunity for getting concessions for ICE reforms. So nothing was achieved, or am I missing something?

[JBTaurus83]

2. That seems to be correct.

Republicans can only use reconciliation once. They may need it for Iran War funding. I’m not sure if they can roll both into a single bill.

[Kaleva]

3. It's not a sure thing that R's can pass funding through reconciliation

There’s a lot more hurdles in the Senate to overcome when going that route.

[Miles Archer]

5. That's how I interpreted it

There won't be any ICE reforms in this version of Congress.

[MichMan]

6. ICE already got $140 billion last year

In the meantime, and even if the reconciliation effort falls short, ICE and CBP can operate on what remains of the nearly $140 billion windfall they received under last year’s megabill — far more than the total of $28 billion the two agencies were previously set to receive for the current fiscal year.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/27/senate-dhs-funding-deal-00847949

[newdeal2]

7. Let the Republicans own the immigration chaos

If I were a Dem in Congress, I would not want my vote associated with ICE in any way. It’s a radioactive department that cannot be “reformed” by body cams and no masks alone.

[gab13by13]

8. The Schumer strategy

Krasnov will burn it all down and then people will vote for us. That strategy stinks.

[displacedvermoter]

11. Great if it works,

but quite a risky way to save Democracy.

[gab13by13]

14. After Congressional Magats give ICE more money through reconciliation,

they will be assigned to not only voting locations, they will be inside voting locations checking everyone's ID and slowing down the voting lines in Democratic districts.

Schumer's plan only works if Magats don't cheat.

[newdeal2]

13. ICE is radioactive to Dem voters

You want Dems to vote for ICE funding if it contains a few small changes like body cams? That’s not going to stop the immigration chaos.

Way to depress the base before the midterms.

[gab13by13]

15. Congressional Magats wouldn't even agree to a weak Democratic bill.

If I was Jeffries or Schumer my #1 demand would have been, no funding until the Good/Pretti murders are properly investigated, local law enforcement must be involved.

Nothing else unless that demand is met, then we can negotiate.

That would have been a strong first step.

[displacedvermoter]

16. I personally want to see ICE shutdown completely

along with Homeland Security Department, with FEMA, Coast Guard, Border Patrol, etc returned to the departments they were originally assigned to.

I also want Elon Musk to give away all his money and then move to a hermit cave in Turkey or North Africa in atonement for all the evil he has done.

Neither of these "wants" are likely to happen.

So, no, I don't want Democrats to vote to support ICE in exchange for "a few small changes". But I grow angrier each time the Senate signs off on something for absolutely no gain at all. Not sure how this inspires the base.

[newdeal2]

21. I view this as a win-win

The important parts of government like TSA re-open thanks to Dems.

DHS funding is not included.

Republicans will have to pull some crazy maneuvers on their side to get DHS funded. No we will not get any reforms in that situation. That makes it easy for any Dem to vote no.

DHS gets funded and Republicans own it 100%. Dems get to run on saying no to an out of control ICE.

[MichMan]

22. "DHS funding is not included"

Yes it is.

It just excludes ICE and CBP which already was funded with $180 billion last year

[MichMan]

17. The base for the most part wants ICE abolished

The problem is that everyone else hears that and thinks open borders

[Lovie777]

4. Concessions are still afoot...............

[Quiet Em]

10. After several weeks and several rejections by Republicans the con essentially told them to pass Patty Murray's bill

so they did.

The con sending ICE agents to the airports was horrible optics, didn't do anything to solve the problems created by him not paying the TSA agents, and was ticking off TSA employees who weren't getting paid while ICE agents were standing around doing nothing.

[Eddie Haskell 60]

12. Very disappointing

We're going to allow them to continue violate 4th amendment, etc

[Johonny]

18. Good move.

This was the obvious move. I don't think ICE reforms are possible unless Trumps magic hold on the GOP falls as gas prices rise.

[tritsofme]

19. This is an awful move, we should have pocketed whatever restrictions we could have gotten through normal appropriations

Now, Republicans will pursue ICE/CBP funding through reconciliation, and likely fund it to the point that further ICE/CBP appropriations fights become largely irrelevant for the rest of Trump’s term, erasing our leverage when Democrats retake the House next year while Republicans maximize and insulate the funding with zero input from Democrats.

We traded imperfect leverage for no leverage at all, and in doing so may have accelerated a process where Republicans can lock in ICE funding beyond the reach of future appropriations fights.

[leftstreet]

23. +1

[travelingthrulife]

20. So no warrants and they can keep their masks on without ID.

Well... we just sold off another part of our guarantee of democracy.