House Democrats are preparing to endorse a bipartisan Senate agreement that would restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security while explicitly withholding money from its two primary immigration enforcement agencies. The legislation, which passed the Senate unanimously early Friday, now moves to the House where Democratic support could prove decisive for passage.
Alignment with Democratic Priorities
Democratic lawmakers, while still reviewing the final text, said the Senate proposal closely mirrors a House bill sponsored by Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut. That measure would fund most DHS operations—including the Transportation Security Administration, whose employees have missed paychecks during the ongoing shutdown—but would not allocate money to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection.
"It sounds very similar to the discharge petition almost all of us as Democrats have already signed," said Representative Jared Huffman of California, referring to the Senate bill. He noted that Democrats would caucus before any vote but predicted Republican leaders would face greater difficulty convincing their own members to back the agreement.
Republican Resistance and Senate Pressure
For weeks, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders have rejected proposals to reopen DHS without funding for immigration enforcement, comparing such moves to "defunding the police" during a period of heightened national security concerns. However, Senate Republican leaders ultimately backed the current compromise, increasing pressure on their House counterparts to follow suit to secure funding for TSA, FEMA, and other essential DHS components.
The Senate's action came despite President Trump's announcement Thursday that he would shift funds to pay TSA agents, a move that did not deter the upper chamber from advancing its bipartisan funding bill. This development follows earlier legislative struggles, including when Senate Democrats rejected a different DHS funding bill, pushing the administration toward emergency actions.
Procedural Challenges for Speaker Johnson
Democratic support becomes particularly crucial given the procedural tightrope Speaker Johnson must walk. If he attempts to move the bill through regular order—requiring passage of a rule governing debate—it could fail amid conservative demands to include tougher voting legislation. Alternatively, using the suspension calendar would require a two-thirds majority, necessitating substantial Democratic votes.
One Democratic source called the Senate bill a "no brainer" for winning House Democratic support. Democrats had previously attempted to force a vote on similar legislation through a discharge petition but lacked sufficient Republican support to succeed.
The House Democratic caucus is scheduled to meet Friday morning in the Capitol Visitors Center to finalize their position. Their unified support would contrast with the challenges facing House Republicans, who remain divided over immigration enforcement priorities even as the Senate has reached consensus. This legislative showdown occurs against a backdrop of shifting political fortunes, including a recent special election upset in a Florida district that had favored Republicans.
The outcome will determine whether thousands of federal employees receive back pay and whether DHS agencies can resume normal operations, while simultaneously testing the House GOP's ability to govern amid internal divisions over immigration policy.
