A potential deal to end the six-week partial DHS shutdown is taking shape in the Senate, after Republican negotiators met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, March 23, 2026, and returned to Capitol Hill saying they see a path forward.
Senate Republicans said Tuesday, March 24, that they delivered a formal offer to Democrats and want to wrap up an agreement later this week.
The emerging plan would restore funding for most Department of Homeland Security operations that have continued under strain since Feb. 14, including agencies tied directly to air travel and disaster response.
It would also carve out a major piece of Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding for separate action later, an approach designed to break the stalemate without forcing Democrats to vote for a component they have targeted for reforms.
DHS shutdown deal funds most agencies, delays ICE deportation money
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans’ offer would fund about 94% of DHS while withholding $5.5 billion for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, the arm responsible for arrests and deportations. Under the proposal, agencies such as TSA, FEMA and the Coast Guard would receive funding again, easing pressure that has been building as the shutdown drags on.
Republicans argue the split is workable because ICE’s broader operations have continued in part due to prior funding provided in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which they say has allowed the agency to function through the shutdown.
Democrats, however, have refused to fully fund DHS without changes to ICE practices following two deadly shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis in January.
After the White House meeting Monday night, Republican senators involved in talks said they had moved Democrats closer to their position. Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, asked whether Republicans had a solution, replied, “We do.”
The key question now is whether Democrats accept a plan that restores pay and stabilizes airport operations, while leaving the most politically contested ICE funding for a separate vote.
Republicans look to reconciliation and the SAVE America Act
Under the approach Republicans outlined, they would attempt to pass the withheld ICE deportation funds later through the budget reconciliation process. Reconciliation allows certain budget-related legislation to advance with a simple majority in the Senate, rather than the 60 votes usually needed to overcome a filibuster.
Republicans also want to use reconciliation to advance elements of an elections package known as the SAVE America Act. Trump has pressured lawmakers for weeks to move the bill, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to cast a ballot. Democrats strongly oppose the measure and have warned it would create barriers for eligible voters.
Not all Republicans agree reconciliation is a viable route for election-related provisions. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wrote Tuesday that it is essentially impossible to pass the SAVE America Act through reconciliation because of strict Senate rules that require provisions to have a direct budget impact.
That internal debate matters because it could determine whether the shutdown deal stays narrow and practical, focused on reopening DHS, or becomes entangled again with a broader political fight over election law.
