WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end a 75-day shutdown after the House approved the measure on Thursday.
The shutdown began after funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed on Feb. 14, leaving the agency without regular appropriations. The new law restores funding for most DHS operations but excludes immigration enforcement programs, according to reporting by The Associated Press.
The funding lapse affected an agency with about 260,000 employees, including workers at the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Many employees continued working without regular pay, while others relied on temporary funding measures or executive actions to receive compensation.
The legislation passed after months of negotiations between Republicans and Democrats over immigration enforcement policy. Democrats had withheld support for DHS funding without changes to enforcement provisions under the Trump administration, while Republicans pushed to keep immigration operations intact.
The House approved the bill on Thursday after the Senate had previously passed the bipartisan package in March. The measure had stalled in the House amid internal Republican disagreements over federal spending priorities.
The shutdown followed a prior 2025 federal closure that lasted 43 days and set a record at the time. During the latest funding lapse, federal workers reported financial strain, and some left their positions, according to earlier accounts.
Immigration enforcement operations remained partially funded through separate appropriations approved in 2025 as part of a broader tax legislation package. Other DHS employees, including Transportation Security Administration personnel, continued working during the shutdown.
The legislation followed broader changes at the Department of Homeland Security, including leadership adjustments and ongoing disputes over immigration enforcement policy.
