DHS Shutdown Ends: Senate Funds TSA, Excludes ICE

Senate Passes Partial DHS Funding, Ending 42-Day Shutdown for Most Workers

In a rare overnight session, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in the early hours of March 27, 2026, to approve funding for most of the Department of Homeland Security — a breakthrough that ended a 42-day shutdown that pushed hundreds of airport security workers to their breaking point. The agreement, however, came with a significant political caveat: ICE and Border Patrol were deliberately left out of the funding package, drawing sharp criticism from Republican leaders and setting up another round of congressional battles.

The shutdown had caused widespread disruption across the country, with nearly 500 TSA workers quitting their jobs and airports struggling with severe staffing shortages that translated into long lines and frustrating wait times for millions of travelers. With the House still needing to act on the Senate's partial funding bill, the crisis isn't entirely over — but for the first time in over a month, there is a clear path forward.

What the Senate Actually Passed — and What It Didn't

Shortly after 2 a.m. on March 27, 2026, the Senate approved funding for all of DHS except ICE and Border Patrol, doing so by unanimous consent during an unusual overnight session. The decision reflects a hard-fought compromise between Democrats, who had been insisting on changes to immigration enforcement, and Republicans, who control the chamber but were eager to end the operational crisis unfolding at airports nationwide.

According to reporting from MSN, the Senate's vote to exclude ICE and Border Patrol was a direct result of Democratic demands for changes in immigration enforcement policies — agencies that have been at the center of controversy under the Trump administration's aggressive deportation agenda. Democrats used their leverage in the funding standoff to block money for those specific agencies, effectively drawing a line between airport security operations and immigration enforcement.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune was blunt in his assessment of the deal. He said Democrats "kissed that opportunity goodbye" by refusing to fund ICE and Border Patrol, framing the exclusion as a political failure on their part. The funding that was approved includes provisions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup security, the 2028 Olympics, and presidential residence protection.

42 Days Without Full Pay: The Human Cost of the Shutdown

The numbers behind this shutdown tell a stark story. For more than 40 days, TSA officers and thousands of other DHS employees worked without receiving full paychecks — a financial strain that many simply couldn't absorb. CBS News reported that nearly 500 TSA workers resigned during the shutdown period, a significant blow to an agency already stretched thin at major airports.

The consequences were immediate and visible to travelers across the country:

• Skyrocketing call-out rates as workers who couldn't afford to continue showing up without pay simply stopped coming in
• Massive security checkpoint lines at airports, particularly at major hubs
• Extended wait times that disrupted flight schedules and frustrated millions of passengers
• Reduced morale and a growing recruitment crisis for an agency that was already understaffed

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union was vocal throughout the ordeal. Union president Everett Kelly made clear that while the TSA pay announcement was a start, it wasn't enough. Kelly stated that all DHS workers must be paid immediately, not just TSA staff — drawing attention to the thousands of other DHS employees, including customs agents, FEMA workers, and Secret Service personnel, who were also going without full compensation.

Trump's Executive Order to Resume TSA Pay

One day before the Senate's early-morning vote, President Trump announced on March 26, 2026, that he would use an executive order to resume pay for TSA workers, drawing on funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The move was framed by the administration as a decisive action to protect airport security operations while Congress continued to work through the broader funding fight.

As NBC News detailed, the Trump administration compared the TSA pay decision to a similar move made to keep paying military members during an earlier government shutdown — repurposing Defense Department funds to ensure service members weren't left without compensation. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included funding for immigration enforcement, state agency grants, FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games security, and presidential residence protection, provided the legal and financial vehicle for the executive action.

The announcement signaled that the White House viewed TSA operations as a national security priority — separate from the political fight over ICE and Border Patrol funding. Critics, however, noted that the move only addressed TSA workers and left thousands of other DHS employees still waiting for their paychecks.

The Republican-Democrat Standoff Over ICE and Border Patrol

The exclusion of ICE and Border Patrol from the Senate's funding package is more than a procedural footnote — it represents the central fault line in the entire DHS funding battle. Democrats insisted on withholding money for these agencies as leverage to demand changes in how the Trump administration carries out immigration enforcement.

Republicans have pushed back hard, arguing that defunding ICE and Border Patrol in the middle of an active immigration enforcement campaign is irresponsible and politically motivated. Senate Majority Leader Thune's sharp comment about Democrats "kissing the opportunity goodbye" reflects frustration within Republican leadership that the partial deal, while necessary, came at a reputational cost.

For the broader public, the political dynamics are complex: Republicans can be blamed for allowing the shutdown to drag on for 42 days, while Democrats can be blamed for blocking funding for agencies central to border security. Neither party emerged from the standoff without bruises.

What Happens Next: The House Must Still Act

The Senate's overnight vote was a critical step, but it is not the final one. The House of Representatives still needs to pass the Senate's partial DHS funding legislation before it can be signed into law and fully enacted. Given the political dynamics in the House, where immigration hardliners wield significant influence, the path to passage is not guaranteed.

Key outstanding questions include:

• Will the House accept the Senate's deal? Some House Republicans may balk at a bill that explicitly excludes ICE and Border Patrol funding.
• When will all DHS workers receive back pay? The AFGE union and affected employees are watching closely to see whether the executive action on TSA pay extends to the rest of the department.
• What happens to ICE and Border Patrol? Those agencies remain in a funding limbo, with no clear resolution in sight as long as the political standoff over immigration enforcement continues.
• Can TSA rebuild its workforce? Nearly 500 workers quit — recruiting and training replacements will take months, even after the funding is restored.

Frequently Asked Questions About the DHS Shutdown

Why were TSA workers not getting paid during the DHS shutdown?

When Congress fails to pass appropriations funding for a federal agency and no continuing resolution is in place, affected employees are required to work without pay or are furloughed. TSA officers, as DHS employees, were caught in this funding gap when the Department of Homeland Security's budget ran out and Congress could not agree on a replacement funding package for over 42 days.

Why were ICE and Border Patrol excluded from the Senate's funding bill?

Democrats used the funding vote as leverage to push for changes in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies. By withholding funding specifically from ICE and Border Patrol — the agencies most central to deportation and border operations — Democrats aimed to force policy concessions. Republicans decried the move as reckless, but were unable to override the Democratic demands in the Senate.

What is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and how does it relate to TSA pay?

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a piece of legislation that included funding for a range of priorities including immigration enforcement, security for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics, state agency grants, and presidential residence protection. President Trump cited this legislation as the funding source for his executive order to resume TSA worker pay, in a move similar to how military pay was protected during an earlier government shutdown.

How many TSA workers quit because of the shutdown?

Approximately 500 TSA workers resigned during the 42-day DHS shutdown, according to reports. The combination of working without full pay and the stressful conditions created by understaffing led many officers to leave the federal workforce entirely, worsening the airport security staffing crisis.

Will airports return to normal operations quickly after funding is restored?

Not immediately. Even after funding is fully restored, rebuilding staffing levels at major airports will take time. TSA must hire, vet, and train new officers to replace those who resigned — a process that typically takes months. Travelers should expect some continued disruption at major hubs in the near term.

Conclusion: A Partial Fix With Bigger Battles Ahead

The Senate's early-morning vote on March 27, 2026, represents a genuine breakthrough after one of the most disruptive federal agency shutdowns in recent memory. Hundreds of TSA workers going unpaid for over a month, nearly 500 quitting, and airports grinding under the strain of understaffed checkpoints — the human and operational toll of the DHS shutdown has been real and substantial.

But this is a partial resolution at best. ICE and Border Patrol remain in funding limbo, the House has yet to pass the Senate's bill, and thousands of DHS employees who aren't TSA workers are still waiting for their full paychecks. The political fight over immigration enforcement that triggered and prolonged this crisis has not been resolved — it has simply been paused. What comes next in the House will determine whether this breakthrough holds or whether another round of funding brinksmanship is on the horizon.