Congress has ended the record 75-day partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after the House approved a Senate-passed bill to fund most of the agency. President Donald Trump urged lawmakers to pass the bill and has vowed to sign it into law, which will reopen DHS without providing new funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the U.S. Border Patrol, as Democrats continue to demand changes to immigration enforcement policies [1].
The shutdown, which began on February 14, was initiated by Democrats after Republicans rejected their demands for reforms to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics, including mandating body cameras and limiting raids in sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals [1]. The House's action came just before a critical deadline, with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warning that emergency funding would run out and thousands of workers would not be paid if the bill was not passed by Thursday [1].
Once signed by President Trump, the bill will fund DHS agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Secret Service through the fiscal year ending September 30 [1]. However, ICE and Border Patrol remain unfunded under this bill. Republicans plan to fund these agencies separately, with the House having adopted a Senate-passed budget resolution instructing congressional committees to draft legislation authorizing $70 billion for ICE and Border Patrol for roughly the next three years [1].
The budget reconciliation process will allow Republicans to bypass a Democratic filibuster and pass the funding legislation for ICE and Border Patrol through the Senate with just 51 votes [1]. House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the importance of fully funding these two critical agencies and expressed confidence that Republicans would accomplish this on their own [1].
CONCLUSION
Congress has ended the longest-ever partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, restoring funding to most of its agencies. However, funding for ICE and Border Patrol remains unresolved, with Republicans moving to secure $70 billion for these agencies through a separate legislative process. The market impact is medium, as the resolution reduces uncertainty for federal operations but leaves key immigration enforcement funding pending.