Five Senators passed a funding bill at 2:18 a.m. Friday morning that would end a partial government shutdown before the body went into its two-week Easter recess.
Senate Democrats filibustered the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill, demanding new restrictions on United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in January in Minneapolis during violent incidents between the agency and agitators opposing federal immigration enforcement operations. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, alongside Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Andy Kim of New Jersey, were present for the vote with Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio presiding, Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio reported.
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The legislation excludes Democratic-demanded mandates for ICE agents to stop wearing masks and to obtain so-called “judicial warrants” to enter private property to apprehend illegal immigrants, but it also does not fund the agency. A portion of the United States Customs and Border Protection is also not funded.
President Donald Trump ordered ICE agents to airports on Monday to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) during the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security to address the long lines in airports resulting from TSA officers calling out sick or quitting due to the lack of pay.
The logjam broke roughly eight hours after Trump ordered Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullen to pay TSA agents in a post on Truth Social.
“Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country, as I always will do!” Trump posted. “Therefore, I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports.”
The amended bill will have to pass the House of Representatives, where it faces an uncertain future. The Senate also failed to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, add voter ID requirements and remove non-citizens from voter rolls.
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