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The United States Congress on Thursday approved a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ending a record-breaking partial shutdown that had disrupted critical agencies for more than two months. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the Senate-approved legislation by voice vote, sending it to President Donald Trump, who signed it into law shortly afterward, according to reports from Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, and the BBC.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from multiple outlets, including Al Jazeera, the BBC, Deutsche Welle, and the South China Morning Post (SCMP), agree on the core facts: the bill funds DHS agencies such as FEMA, the Coast Guard, the TSA, and the Secret Service until the end of the fiscal year on September 30. However, it excludes new funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agencies at the center of the partisan dispute that triggered the shutdown.

While most sources describe the shutdown as lasting "more than two months," there is a slight discrepancy in the exact duration: the BBC reports 76 days, while SCMP cites 75 days, noting the closure began on February 14. This difference likely stems from whether the first or last day is counted, and does not affect the overall narrative.

Key Claims

  • Congress approved funding for most of DHS, ending a partial shutdown. This is reported by all five sources, with the House passing the bill by voice vote and Trump signing it into law, according to Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera.
  • The funding lasts until September 30. SCMP and Deutsche Welle confirm this, with SCMP noting it covers the financial year's end.
  • The bill excludes new money for ICE and Border Patrol. This is a consistent point across all sources, though Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle specify that these agencies have ample funding from previously approved laws.
  • Democrats refused to support immigration enforcement funding without new restrictions. According to Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle, Democrats demanded limits on tactics such as raids in sensitive locations and the use of masks by ICE agents, with resistance intensifying after the killing of two people in Minnesota by federal agents earlier this year.
  • Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas) criticized the bill. A quote carried by Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle has Roy calling the exclusion of ICE and Border Patrol "offensive to the men and women who serve in ICE and Border Patrol, and are serving this country every single day."
  • Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) welcomed the passage. The House Appropriations Committee's top Democrat, who proposed the bill over 70 days ago, said "It's about damn time," as reported by Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle.

Perspectives

Republican View

Republicans, particularly conservative lawmakers like Chip Roy, argue that excluding ICE and Border Patrol from funding is an affront to the agents who serve the country. Speaker Mike Johnson initially opposed the measure but eventually brought it to a vote after Trump voiced support, according to Al Jazeera.

Democratic View

Democrats, including Rosa DeLauro and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), see the bill as a necessary first step, with Lofgren calling it "welcome news" and emphasizing the need to reform ICE and hold it to the same standards as other law enforcement, per Al Jazeera's report.

Context on the Shutdown's Impact

The partial shutdown left several DHS agencies operating on fumes, leading to long lines at airports where TSA agents worked unpaid, and raised concerns about FEMA's disaster response, as Al Jazeera reported. The impasse was spurred by the fatal shooting of two US citizens in Minnesota in January, which intensified scrutiny of ICE enforcement tactics, according to Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera.