US House votes to end record govt shutdown over immigration operations, bill goes to Trump’s desk

US lawmakers on Thursday voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ending a record 76-day partial government shutdown over the federal agency’s immigration enforcement operations. Members of the US House of Representatives approved a Senate-passed bill via voice vote, restoring funding to much of DHS and concluding the longest shutdown in the agency’s history.

The federal agency has continued to run without routine funds since 14 February, leading to major disruptions and hours-long wait times at airports across the US.

The measure, supported by President Donald Trump, reopens DHS but does not include new funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or US Border Patrol.

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The bill now goes to the president, who is expected to swiftly sign the legislation.

The White House had warned that temporary funding Trump had tapped to pay Transportation Security Administration and other agency personnel would “soon run out,” which sparked new threats of airport disruptions.

“It is about damn time,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, who proposed the bill more than 70 days ago. The House swiftly voted by voice, without a formal roll call, to pass the measure.

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While the Senate unanimously approved the bipartisan package a month ago, the bill languished in the House. Democrats refused to fund US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol without changes to those operations after the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal agents during protests against an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Republicans refused to go along with the plan pushed by Democrats to fund TSA and the other parts of DHS without the money for ICE and Border Patrol.

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To break the impasse, Republicans in both the House and Senate decided to tackle the immigration enforcement funding on their own through what is called budget reconciliation, a cumbersome weekslong process ahead.

House Republicans adopted budget resolution on a largely party-line vote, 215-211, that is focused on eventually providing $70 billion for immigration enforcement and deportations for the remainder of Trump's time in office and ensure Democrats can no longer block funding. Trump’s term ends in January 2029.

One key Republican, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, said isolating the immigration-related money on a separate track is “offensive to the men and women who serve in ICE and Border Patrol, and are serving this country every single day.”