A proposal to end the 40-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security is facing opposition from both Democrats and conservative Senate Republicans, effectively blocking a vote to reopen agencies including the Transportation Security Administration. The story came into focus when reported by The Hill, which noted that the deal appeared to have momentum on Monday before collapsing Tuesday after critics on both sides spoke out.
The central dispute involves funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The proposed deal would fund most of DHS but deferred funding specifically for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, which accounts for $5.4 billion of the agency’s $10 billion annual budget. That carve-out drew immediate fire from conservative senators.
Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley was among the most vocal opponents at a Senate Republican lunch on Tuesday. He stated he would not vote for the proposal, saying, “I’m not going to vote to cut ICE funding, period.” Senator Rick Scott of Florida also raised objections, dismissing the possibility of making up the shortfall through budget reconciliation as a “pipe dream.”
The TSA shutdown has already produced real disruptions for federal workers trying to do their jobs
On the Democratic side, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer rejected the Republican offer on Tuesday afternoon. His primary objection was the absence of reforms for ICE and Customs and Border Protection, including requirements for judicial warrants and a prohibition on federal agents wearing masks. He confirmed Democrats would be sending a counteroffer that “will contain significant reform in it.”
Senator Patty Murray of Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated that any bill funding ICE must include those changes. The prolonged DHS shutdown has had direct consequences for federal operations, including a TSA specialist delayed three hours at security during a critical crash investigation, illustrating how agency disruptions ripple outward.
Centrist Democrats including Senators Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire are waiting to see what further concessions Republicans might offer. Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said negotiations were ongoing, adding, “It’s not quite where we want it.” Amid the broader flux in Senate politics, including unusual political moves by prominent figures that have complicated party positioning, leaders on both sides remain under pressure to find a path forward.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said the strong opposition drained the momentum the proposal had after a group of Republican senators presented it to Trump on Monday. “If you asked me last night, I thought we were pretty close,” Tillis said.
While Republican leaders told colleagues that Trump supports the deal, the president told reporters Tuesday afternoon he is “pretty much not happy” with any agreement reached with Democrats and pledged to take a “hard look” at whatever negotiators produce. Republicans may need 10 or more Democratic votes to pass any funding bill, with a growing number of conservative senators now opposed to any reduction in ICE funding.
Published: Mar 25, 2026 07:45 am