House passes bill to end partial DHS shutdown

A bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security is headed to President Donald Trump’s desk after the House passed legislation already approved by the Senate.

The measure funds the agency but excludes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Democrats have refused to support funding for those agencies without reforms, leading to a shutdown that has gone on since mid-February.

Republicans, meanwhile, are expected to pursue separate legislation to fund ICE and CBP without Democratic support.

During the shutdown, employees across multiple agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, went without pay for weeks until President Donald Trump ordered funds from his domestic policy bill be used to compensate them. However, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned those funds were running short, saying TSA employees could again go without paychecks if Congress did not act by early May.

That warning appeared to add urgency as the summer travel season approaches. During the shutdown, travelers faced long wait times as employees called out because they were unpaid, with some saying they could not afford things like child care.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

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