Congress Ends Record-Breaking 76-Day DHS Shutdown After TSA Exodus

Breakdown of Political Stalemate

After 76 grueling days, the House unanimously approved a Senate-passed bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, clearing the way for President Trump to sign it and reopen most of the department . The shutdown, which began on February 14, officially becomes the longest government shutdown in history, eclipsing a record lawmakers set in the fall .

The political deadlock stemmed from a tragic confrontation in Minneapolis. Democrats refused to fund the immigration enforcement functions of DHS after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents during a January immigration crackdown in Minneapolis . Renée Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old American woman, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on January 7, 2026, followed by Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, who was killed by Border Patrol officers on January 24 .

Republicans balked at Democrats' calls for changes to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies, leading to an impasse that lasted more than 70 days . The funding gap left critical agencies like the Coast Guard, FEMA, and TSA struggling to maintain operations without regular appropriations.

Airport Chaos and Mass Resignations

The shutdown's most visible impact hit America's airports. More than 1,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have quit their jobs during the funding crisis. Many TSA officers called out of work last month so they could pick up additional jobs to pay their bills and hundreds more left their jobs at the agency entirely, leaving airports around the U.S. understaffed .

Amid the shortage of TSA agents, airports across the country reported hours-long security wait times last month, with security lines stretching for hours throughout some airports and into parking lots, causing some passengers to miss their flights altogether. The wait times were some of the longest in TSA's history . The crisis prompted President Donald Trump to order on March 27 that TSA staffers be paid using existing funds , but Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that the funding would run out in early May .

DHS warned that ahead of the FIFA World Cup and summer travel, the loss has significantly decreased TSA's ability to meet passenger demand and left critical gaps in staffing, as each new recruit requires 4-6 months of training. The U.S., along with Canada and Mexico, is hosting the men's World Cup starting in June .

Political Maneuvering and Resolution

Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and President Trump eventually coalesced around a plan to fund the entirety of DHS on two parallel tracks. The first would involve the House passing the Senate DHS bill to immediately reopen the department. The second involves funding ICE and Border Patrol for the next three years through the budget reconciliation process, which will allow Republicans to approve a bill without support from Senate Democrats .

The bill funds all of DHS except Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection , the two agencies at the center of the controversy. House Republicans adopted a budget resolution that focused on eventually providing $70 billion for immigration enforcement and deportations for the remainder of Trump's time in office . Trump has said he wants the reconciliation package on his desk by June 1 .

Looking Ahead

The resolution brings immediate relief to federal workers who faced the prospect of missed paychecks, but questions remain about the broader implications. The measure restores funding for the Secret Service, Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Transportation Security Administration, among other agencies . However, the TSA workforce damage may take months to repair given the extensive training requirements for new hires.

The shutdown's end also sets up future confrontations over immigration policy. While Republicans secured their pathway to fund ICE and Border Patrol through reconciliation, the underlying tensions over federal enforcement tactics remain unresolved. The Minneapolis deaths that triggered this crisis continue to reverberate through Congress, with ongoing investigations and calls for accountability that could shape future funding debates. For now, though, the immediate crisis has passed, allowing critical homeland security functions to resume normal operations.