Senate closes in on potential deal to end DHS shutdown
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- The Senate is nearing a deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and end the six-week partial government shutdown affecting air travel.
- The proposed agreement would fund key DHS agencies like TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard but exclude Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation operations, which Republicans plan to fund separately through budget reconciliation.
- Budget reconciliation allows Republicans to bypass the 60-vote Senate threshold, enabling them to pass ICE funding and parts of the SAVE America Act, though the election bill's compliance with budget rules remains uncertain.
- The shutdown began on February 14 after Democrats demanded ICE reforms following federal agent-involved shootings; bipartisan talks have intensified recently amid mounting pressure to resolve the impasse.
- Despite President Trump's earlier opposition to a standalone DHS funding deal, senators expressed optimism Monday night about finalizing an agreement by the end of the week.
