Senate Republicans say they are increasingly hopeful that a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is within reach, following a key meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday evening.
DHS has been without funding for more than a month, leaving thousands of federal employees—especially Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers—on the job without pay. The prolonged shutdown has begun to strain airport operations nationwide, adding urgency to negotiations on Capitol Hill.
At the center of the breakthrough is a shift in Trump’s position. Previously, the president insisted that any agreement to fund DHS must include passage of the SAVE America Act, a controversial voting requirements bill strongly opposed by Democrats. That demand had stalled talks.
Now, Senate Republicans believe Trump is open to separating the issues.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, the president is considering a two-part strategy. Under the proposal, lawmakers would pass a DHS funding bill that could attract Democratic support, while addressing additional immigration enforcement funding—particularly for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—through a separate budget reconciliation process. This would allow Republicans to bypass the need for Democratic votes.
Some elements of the SAVE America Act could also be included in that reconciliation package, described by one Republican as a “down payment” on the broader legislation.
Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, expressed confidence that a resolution is close.
“We do,” Britt said when asked if Republicans now see a path to ending the shutdown.
The meeting also included key figures such as newly confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, White House border adviser Tom Homan, and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Trump’s apparent willingness to compromise marks a notable shift from just days earlier, when he rejected a similar proposal.
Meanwhile, the real-world impact of the shutdown is becoming harder to ignore.
Airports across the country are facing growing disruptions as TSA workers call out at increasing rates. Without paychecks, many employees have opted to stay home, leading to staffing shortages and long security lines.
On Sunday, the TSA reported an overall call-out rate of nearly 12 percent, with more than 3,400 agents absent. At some major airports, the situation was far worse. More than 40 percent of TSA staff called out at both Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Other major hubs—including Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport—also saw absentee rates exceed one-third of their workforce.
As conditions worsen, federal officials have deployed ICE officers to assist at more than a dozen airports, including locations in New York, New Jersey, New Orleans, and Phoenix. Homan said the rollout is being kept low-profile to avoid drawing protests.
Travelers are already feeling the effects. Some airports are warning of wait times stretching for hours, and JFK Airport temporarily suspended reporting security wait times due to rapidly changing conditions.
The pressure on lawmakers is intensifying as Congress prepares to leave Washington at the end of the week for a two-week Easter recess. With delays mounting and public frustration growing, both parties face increasing incentives to reach a deal quickly.
If negotiations succeed, the agreement would not only reopen DHS but also signal a rare moment of compromise in an otherwise deeply divided Congress.
