Record-Long DHS Shutdown Ends, Bill Omits Funding for ICE & Border Security

A record-long Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown ended Thursday but still does not fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The 76-day political squabble between Republicans and Democrats concluded Thursday when President Donald Trump signed a bill restoring funding to the Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, FEMA, Secret Service and TSA. Republicans are pushing billions in ICE and CBP funding through a reconciliation package to further the Trump administration’s agenda. The bill appropriates $48 billion to the aforementioned DHS agencies.

The months-long funding lapse dates back to Feb. 14 when political sentiments clashed on immigration enforcement in the wake of the deaths of Renee Good and Matthew Pretti in Minneapolis. It resulted in national protests and eventually DHS Secretary Kristi Noem being relieved of her duties, being replaced in March by Markwayne Mullin, a former U.S. senator.

Mullin, in a post on X following Trump’s signing, said the reconciliation bill won’t require any Democrat votes “so liberals can’t play games with federal law enforcement funding.”

“To be clear, this Democrat shutdown NEVER should have happened,” Mullin wrote. “To our great, patriotic employees who have continued to protect the homeland every single day without a guaranteed paycheck—thank you. President Trump and I are very grateful to be in the fight with you to Make America Safe Again.”

Republicans, Democrats Claim Political Wins

House Republicans took a while to also come around to approving the latest DHS funding. Speaker Mike Johnson previously held his ground, holding out for ICE and CBP funding to accompany the legislation.

But with some agencies reportedly bracing for additional furloughs as soon as next week and DHS staffers expecting to get their final paychecks on May 8, according to an administration official who spoke to Politico, there was some capitulation on Republicans’ part to move the immigration-based portion through their own caucus.

“Thanks to House Republicans, border security and immigration enforcement will continue today and well into the future—despite Democrat attempts to REOPEN OUR BORDER and PROTECT CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS from removal,” Johnson wrote on X.

“The SAD and actually SHOCKING TRUTH is there’s not a Democrat in the House or the Senate that believes border security and immigration enforcement should exist AT ALL by word and deed,” the Speaker added.

Democrats pointed the finger at Johnson, Republicans for not coming to the table weeks earlier.

“After sitting on his hands while the men and women of DHS went without pay, Mike Johnson finally did what he should have done a month ago: Join Democrats in passing the bipartisan bill to end the Republican DHS shutdown,” Homeland Dems, which includes Democratic members of Congress overseeing DHS operations, wrote on X.

Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) accused Republicans of holding “DHS hostage so they could spend billions more on ICE brutality, per Trump’s orders.”

Credit: AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File

Other Democrats, like Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, an Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security member who helped negotiate with the Senate, said he plans to “advocate for ICE and CBP reforms.”

“We need to enforce our immigration laws, but we cannot do so by surrendering our values,” Case said in a statement.

Partisan disagreements have included, for example, Democrats’ desire for standard uniform policies to ensure that federal law enforcement personnel are clearly identifiable. A criticism against ICE has been how agents are dressed in public settings, notably with face coverings.

Lawmakers also added funding to two offices shut down in 2025 by the Trump administration: the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman.

Funding Reprieve for Coast Guard

For services like the Coast Guard, the DHS bill signing can be considered somewhat of a sigh of relief.

Leading up to the bill’s eventual passing in the House, Coast Guard officials warned in correspondence with Military.com that the funding lapse would have had multiple negative impacts on USCG personnel and their families.

That included concerns over military families paying expenses after May 1, medical and dental procedures plus required TRICARE insurance co-payments; putting Permanent Change of Station moves on personal credit cards without being provided advance pay or allowances; recruitment concerns; and upwards of 1,000 Coast Guard families at risk of losing power and water services at their quarters, some of which has already happened in some pockets of the country.

Credit: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Gabriel Wisdom

“It seems like a horror movie, but it’s actually happening. It’s almost unbelievable,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday told CBS News on Thursday, with the service owing over $300 million in unpaid obligations and roughly $5.2 million in overdue utilities.

Lunday said that over 6,000 utility bills have been unpaid due to a lack of DHS funding. His remarks, made prior to the DHS bill’s passing, indicated “more than a breach of trust” between lawmakers and service members.

“Our Coast Guard men and women, whether they’re active duty or reserve military civilians, they’ve stepped forward and taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution. What they expect in return is just to be paid and provide services.”

Military.com reached out to the USCG for additional remarks.