Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled a strategic shift Thursday night, directing Republicans to pursue traditional funding channels for most of the Department of Homeland Security while reserving budget reconciliation for the contentious fight over ICE and Border Patrol.
The move came after President Trump intervened directly in the 40-day shutdown, instructing his new Homeland Security secretary to begin paying TSA workers immediately, bypassing the legislative gridlock that had paralyzed negotiations.
Thune told Senate offices that he has asked Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins to draft legislation funding "as many portions of DHS as we can." He plans to move the bill through unanimous consent soon, setting aside the thorniest disputes for later consideration through reconciliation.
"This is not the outcome that we wanted, but unfortunately, Democrats have shown themselves unwilling to support law enforcement," Thune wrote in his guidance to colleagues.
## The Sticking Points RemainDemocrats refused to back down on demands for ICE reforms and new restrictions on spending, effectively blocking any compromise on broader DHS appropriations. Trump responded with characteristic combativeness on Truth Social, accusing Democrats and "Cryin' Chuck Schumer" of siding with "CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS" over Americans.
The TSA remained the linchpin throughout negotiations. The agency's shutdown created a visible crisis: long airport security lines that made the funding fight impossible to ignore. By removing that pressure point through unilateral action, Trump may have inadvertently made it harder to revive deal-making.
Thune's path forward suggests Republicans believe they can peel off pieces of DHS funding one by one. Alongside TSA workers, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other departmental units could move through traditional appropriations. Only ICE and Border Patrol would remain contested territory, reserved for the reconciliation track.
That calculation carries real risks. Reconciliation requires only a simple majority in the Senate but faces a precarious journey through both chambers, particularly the House where Republican margins are razor-thin. A reconciliation bill potentially worth $200 billion could also carry unrelated provisions, including Pentagon spending tied to Iran concerns and the SAVE America Act, further complicating passage.
Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, acknowledged the complexity. "We've got three other agencies to deal with," he said, highlighting the broader challenge of funding the full government beyond DHS.
Whether either party can resurrect serious negotiations remains unclear. Trump's unilateral move deflated immediate crisis pressure, but it also removed Democrats' incentive to compromise on their core demands. Republicans, meanwhile, must now execute a more fragmented funding strategy while holding the reconciliation option in reserve, a gambit that offers no guarantee of success.
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