Republican leaders in Congress announce plan to end DHS shutdown

Key Points:

• House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a plan to fully fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) except for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol, aiming to end the partial government shutdown.
• The plan involves passing a bipartisan Senate agreement to fund the majority of DHS, with Republicans later attempting to fund ICE and Border Patrol through party-line legislation, though this approach faces potential opposition within the GOP.
• The DHS shutdown, now at 47 days, continued after House Republicans rejected the Senate plan last week, leading to a congressional recess; it remains uncertain if lawmakers will return early to address the funding.
• President Donald Trump supports funding ICE and Border Patrol separately and called for legislation by June 1, while Democrats criticize the plan as defunding law enforcement and harming workers such as TSA agents.
• The shutdown has caused significant disruptions, including TSA staffing shortages and airport security delays, though some issues have eased following backpay authorized by an executive order.