Republicans have proposed a new approach to end the ongoing DHS shutdown without breaking the filibuster. Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) suggested a two-step plan:
First, pass funding for essential DHS agencies like TSA and FEMA to immediately restore airport operations, while leaving ICE funding for a separate bill. The second step would use the budget reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority, to fund ICE, bypassing the 60-vote threshold.
The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has dragged on for over a month, causing widespread disruptions at airports across the United States.
Travelers face long security lines as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, working without pay, increasingly call out sick or resign, leading to chaos during the busy spring travel period.
The funding lapse for DHS began in mid-February 2026 after Congress failed to agree on a full-year appropriations bill.
The impasse centers on disagreements over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and related immigration enforcement policies.
Democrats have demanded reforms to ICE operations, while Republicans have pushed for stronger enforcement measures, including ties to legislation like the SAVE Act.
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Multiple attempts to advance a comprehensive DHS funding bill in the Senate have failed, most recently on March 20, 2026, when a motion to proceed fell short in a 47-37 vote, well below the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
The Senate, with Republicans holding a 53-seat majority (including independents caucusing with Democrats, bringing the effective opposition to 47), has seen repeated procedural votes blocked along party lines.
A vote on March 12, 2026, saw the Senate reject advancing a House-passed DHS funding measure by a 51-46 margin, again failing to reach the cloture threshold.
Marjorie Greene’s Stand
Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene highlighted the frustration in a public statement, noting that the ongoing TSA airport chaos is avoidable. She pointed out that Senate Republicans, with their majority, could use procedural tools to fund DHS.
“Senate Republicans hold the majority with now 52 senators and CAN FUND Homeland anytime they choose by using the nuclear option and overriding the filibuster (self-imposed 60-vote rule),” Greene wrote.
Also Read: Trump Accuses Democrats of Airport Disruptions Linked to DHS Funding Impasse
She added that both parties share blame, stating, “Both Republican and Democrat Senators are to blame. The manufactured political fighting only hurts the American people who pay for it all with your hard earned tax dollars.”
This proposal aims to prioritize paying TSA officers and quickly reopening full airport screening operations, while deferring the more contentious ICE issues.
Some Republicans have shown openness to separating the funding streams, though internal party divisions persist, with pressure from President Trump to link DHS funding to broader immigration reforms.
Democrats have countered by offering narrower bills to fund specific non-immigration agencies such as the TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA, but Republicans have objected, insisting on addressing the entire department.
The shutdown has left over 100,000 DHS employees, including tens of thousands of TSA workers, without regular paychecks for extended periods, contributing to higher absenteeism and resignations that exacerbate airport delays.
