- Senate Republicans failed to advance a DHS funding bill, extending the partial government shutdown into its fourth week.
- Democrats demand immigration enforcement reforms and restrictions on federal activity as a condition for providing necessary agency funding.
- While USCIS remains largely fee-funded, the shutdown has caused TSA staffing shortages and suspended Global Entry processing.
(UNITED STATES) — Senate Republicans on Friday failed again to advance a DHS funding bill, keeping a partial shutdown in place as the funding lapse approached one month.
Senators voted 51-46, short of the 60 votes needed to move the measure forward. The Senate then adjourned until Monday without a deal.
John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, stood as the sole Democrat voting with Republicans to advance DHS funding.
The funding lapse began on February 13, 2026, after Congress failed to resolve a dispute tied to immigration enforcement reforms. The shutdown has now extended into its fourth week.
House lawmakers moved earlier this month, passing H.R. 7744, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026, on March 5, 2026, by a vote of 221 to 209. Senate Democrats continued to block advancement without immigration enforcement reforms.
The shutdown fight has centered on whether funding should come with limits on enforcement activity. Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have refused to pass DHS funding without new restrictions on federal immigration enforcement.
Democrats have sought requirements that the department conduct only targeted enforcement, prohibit operations at sensitive places, stop profiling, and set stronger standards for using force. Republicans have argued DHS should be funded without those conditions attached.
The political crisis was triggered by the killing of Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Protection agents on January 24, 2026. That incident prompted Democrats to condition their support for DHS funding on enforcement reforms.
Earlier Senate votes signaled the depth of the impasse. On the cloture vote in mid-February, Democrats and several fiscal-conservative Republicans blocked the package in a 45-55 vote.
Those blocking the mid-February push included Sens. Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Rick Scott, Ted Budd, Ron Johnson, Ashley Moody, and Tommy Tuberville. The pattern left Senate leaders struggling to assemble a coalition for any path forward.
Fetterman argued that shutting down DHS would have “zero impact” on ICE functionality since the agency already has $75 billion in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He said it would harm other critical agencies like FEMA, the Coast Guard, and CISA.
The standoff has raised concerns for travelers, employers, and immigrants who rely on DHS-linked services, even as many core functions continue. DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, TSA, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
USCIS has continued much of its work because the agency is largely fee-funded rather than dependent on annual congressional appropriations. USCIS has previously stated that lapses in federal funding generally do not affect its fee-funded operations.
Immigration service provider Boundless said green card applications, naturalization filings, H-1B petitions, and work authorization renewals have continued during the current DHS shutdown. Premium processing requests have also been proceeding.
The continuation of filings has not eliminated uncertainty for applicants. Interviews and biometrics appointments are generally expected to proceed unless applicants receive a direct cancellation notice.
Border activity has also continued. CBP is considered essential and continues operating at ports of entry, and ICE functions have still been operating during the shutdown.
Outside of case filings and inspections, other parts of DHS have faced constraints. Cybersecurity operations at CISA have operated at limited capacity, critical Coast Guard training has stopped, and FEMA grants utilized by state and local entities for emergency preparedness cannot be accessed.
The shutdown also disrupted trusted traveler processing. Global Entry was suspended on February 22.
The most visible strain has emerged at airports. TSA staffing shortages have affected screening as workers continued on the job without pay.
More than 300 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began. TSA officers have been working without paychecks for the third time in nearly six months.
Large airports have reported long security lines and extended waits. Philadelphia International Airport closed a terminal checkpoint because of staffing issues, and Houston Hobby and New Orleans saw waits exceeding two hours earlier in the week.
Airlines have also been bracing for heavy demand, putting more pressure on screening operations. About 171 million passengers are projected to fly over the two-month period, up 4% from a year earlier.
For international travelers, students, H-1B workers, and green card holders planning trips, the airport conditions have added another layer of timing risk. The operational strain has threatened longer airport processing times even if immigration adjudications continue in the background.
The shutdown has left employers watching both staffing and processing signals across DHS and related agencies. Boundless said the Department of State and Department of Labor remain funded, and key filing systems remain active.
That has kept many employment-based processes moving, even as lawmakers argued over enforcement policy conditions. Companies have continued H-1B, PERM, and related case preparation on schedule, with core systems still operating.
At the same time, airport delays have complicated planning around immigration obligations tied to travel, including entries, returns, and connections. With reported waits exceeding two hours at some airports, travelers have faced more uncertainty in building workable itineraries.
Immigration processing has remained a focal point for families and employers trying to understand what a partial shutdown changes day to day. Many filings have continued because USCIS is fee-funded, but DHS’s other responsibilities have tied the funding fight to border, travel, and security operations.
The political rhetoric has sharpened as the shutdown dragged into March. Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said the House has demonstrated “bipartisan support” for protecting the nation and ending the shutdown, while accusing Democrats of “playing politics with the safeguards of this country.”
Senate Democrats have held firm that DHS funding must come with enforcement guardrails, while Republicans have pushed for a clean funding bill. With neither side conceding, repeated Senate votes have failed to hit the 60-vote threshold needed for advancement.
The immediate effects have been most evident where the public meets DHS at scale: airport security checkpoints and the workforce that staffs them. Longer-term consequences have also touched areas like CISA capacity, Coast Guard training, and access to FEMA grants for emergency preparedness.
For immigrants, students, and employers, the ongoing split has left a system that is not fully shut down but under strain, with travel disruptions becoming more visible even as many USCIS workflows continue. Cole framed the fight in blunt terms, accusing Democrats of “playing politics with the safeguards of this country.”
