Airport Alert: Senate Approve FY26 DHS Funding Bill; the House May Advance It Today

March 27, 2026

Early this morning, the Senate unanimously agreed to fund Department of Homeland Security for fiscal 2026 except some of its immigration enforcement, deportation, and Border Patrol operations, which Democrats refused to vote for since late January without significant reforms. As a reminder, these activities are being funded currently through resources provided in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Earlier this week, President Trump rejected a similar proposal.

This deal followed arduous bipartisan negotiations that occurred in fits and starts over the last six weeks, which left many DHS employees working without pay or furloughed, and airports have seen increasing long wait times at security checkpoints. Tomorrow, DHS employees will miss their second full paycheck since the funding impasse began in mid-February. At TSA, this has led to call out rates nationwide of almost 12 percent and many Transportation Security Officers have left the agency for other, more stable work.

This vote followed an announcement by President Trump yesterday that he would instruct the newly sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, to “immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”

The bill must be considered by the House of Representatives, which could vote as early as today on this funding measure before leaving for recess. Speaker Mike Johnson holds a very narrow Republican majority in the House. Several conservative Republicans have criticized the Senate’s approach and oppose a funding bill that does not include money for immigration enforcement. But we anticipate that Democrats will vote to approve this spending bill.

President Trump has already announced that he will immediately sign the bill, should the House pass it. We will keep you updated as this legislation to end the latest DHS shutdown advances.