President Trump Signs Bill Ending Record DHS Shutdown

President Donald Trump has signed bipartisan legislation funding most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), excluding immigration enforcement operations, effectively ending the longest agency shutdown in U.S. history. The shutdown, which began on February 14, had left DHS without routine funds, causing hardship for workers and raising concerns about potential disruptions at airports due to dwindling resources for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The House of Representatives approved the funding bill by voice vote on Thursday, following the Senate's earlier unanimous approval. The legislation excludes funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as debates over immigration enforcement funding continue.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) had previously agreed to a two-track funding approach to address the impasse. This strategy involved passing the DHS funding bill separately while initiating a budget reconciliation process to address immigration enforcement funding.

The White House had warned that temporary funding measures to pay TSA and other agency personnel were nearing exhaustion, prompting urgent action to prevent further disruptions.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, who proposed the bipartisan bill more than 70 days ago, expressed relief at the resolution, stating, "It is about damn time."

The DHS shutdown had significant impacts on agency employees, with many facing potential furloughs and missed paychecks. The passage of this funding bill aims to restore stability to the department and its workforce.