The House of Representatives is expected to consider the deal on Friday. The Senate early Friday morning approved Homeland Security funds to pay Transportation Security Administration agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations at the heart of the budget impasse that has jammed airports, disrupted travel and imposed financial hardship on workers.The deal, which the Senate approved unanimously without a roll call, next goes to the House, which is expected to consider it Friday.“We can get at least a lot of the government opened up again and then we’ll go from there,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “Obviously, we’ll still have some work ahead of us.”With pressure mounting to resolve the 42-day stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the endgame emerged in the final hours before TSA workers miss another paycheck Friday. President Donald Trump said he would sign an order to immediately pay the TSA agents, saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.” The deal did not include any of the restraints Democrats have demanded as they sought to rein in Trump’s mass deportation agenda.Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the outcome could have been reached weeks ago, and vowed that his party would continue fighting to ensure Trump’s “rogue” immigration operation “does not get more funding without serious reform.”
Senate strikes a deal to fund TSA. Here’s where ICE and other agencies stand on the budget impasse
Why This Matters
The Senate has approved a funding deal to reopen parts of the government, including TSA agents, but immigration enforcement agencies remain unfunded, prolonging disruptions at airports and affecting travel. The deal marks a step toward resolving the impasse, though key issues like immigration enforcement funding are still unresolved. The outcome underscores ongoing political struggles over immigration policy and government funding priorities, impacting both the tech industry and consumers reliant on secure, efficient travel infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
- Senate approves funding for TSA and most agencies, easing airport disruptions.
- Immigration enforcement agencies remain unfunded, causing ongoing travel issues.
- Political disagreements over immigration policy continue to influence government funding decisions.
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