Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican-backed bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of fiscal 2026, extending the agency's shutdown into a fourth week as partisan divisions over immigration enforcement continue to stall negotiations.
The Senate voted 51-45 on the measure, short of the 60 votes required to advance. Every Democrat opposed the bill except Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa.
Republicans had urged Democrats to approve the funding, arguing the recent conflict with Iran has heightened threats to the U.S. homeland and increased the urgency of restoring DHS operations.
Democrats rejected that argument, insisting the agency already received significant resources in a recent spending package and reiterating demands for policy changes to immigration enforcement.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told The Hill this week, "They [DHS] have plenty of money. So we're not going to suddenly say, 'Oh, well, let's give up our request for necessary reforms.'"
Democrats have pushed for new restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including tighter warrant requirements and rules requiring agents to be identifiable during operations.
The vote underscored the widening gap between the parties.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., accused Democrats of refusing to negotiate in good faith, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans could quickly resolve the impasse by agreeing to the proposed reforms.
The standoff comes as DHS faces heightened political scrutiny following months of turbulence surrounding ICE enforcement operations in Minnesota, where controversial raids and protests have intensified the debate over immigration policy.
The disputes have complicated Republican efforts to unify behind a clean funding bill, with Democrats using the shutdown to press for changes to enforcement practices.
The funding fight has also coincided with leadership changes at the department. President Donald Trump announced Thursday he intends to replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.