Senate Sneaks DHS Funding Bill Through, Texas Reps Divided

keith self jasmine crockett

While most of the country slept, the Senate passed a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill by voice vote, with only a handful of members present.

The legislation restores money for the TSA but conspicuously strips out any funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and significant portions of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and by morning, senators had already left Washington.

Representative Keith Self (R-TX) was quick to criticize his own party, arguing on X that Republicans handed Democrats a clean victory by passing the measure without immigration enforcement funding or the SAVE America Act attached.

Although the bill does address an increasingly urgent situation at the nation's airports. Since the partial shutdown began, over 500 TSA officers have resigned, and those still reporting to work missed their second full paycheck today.

Whether relief comes through congressional action or President Donald Trump's promised emergency executive order, workers are still at least five business days away from seeing any money.

Democrats Stance

Consequently, Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) wasn't in the mood to credit Republicans for the outcome.

She argued the moment had been unnecessarily delayed, noting that President Trump had the authority to protect TSA workers through executive action from the very start of the shutdown.

In her view, Senate Republicans spent 41 days deferring to the president, even though they had more than 11 opportunities to act on their own. "Now it's on House Republicans," she wrote on X. "Time to put your money where your mouth is."

That challenge carries real weight. House conservatives have already signaled the Senate bill is unacceptable without immigration enforcement funding and voter ID requirements included, putting the legislation in a precarious spot before it even gets a vote.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said Democrats have strong support for passing the Senate version and suggested they're prepared to cross typical party lines procedurally if it comes to that.

The Senate has spoken. The House has yet to answer.

Ericka Pinon

Ericka Piñon is a reporter for Cactus Politics specializing in Arizona Legislative Correspondent. With 1 year on the ground in Phoenix, Arizona, they have been cited by Cactus Politics, Big Energy News, The Floridian Press, and Texas Politics. Her focus is on Public Relations and Communications.