Senators and the White House appear near to a deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security and end the partial government shutdown as the shutdown’s second month leads to worsening airport delays.
According to a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, talks are still underway, but “this deal seems to be acceptable.” President Donald Trump has said he wants to not only fund DHS but include other changes such as prohibitions on transgender care and a voter-ID measure.
The agreement, as reported by multiple news outlets, would include funding for all of DHS except for a portion of its Immigration and Customs Enforcement budget. It would also plan for Republicans to pursue a party-line bill that could make up that ICE funding and include a version of the SAVE America Act, the Trump-backed elections bill that would implement national voter-ID mandates and require proof of citizenship to register.
The apparent breakthrough comes amid swelling Transportation Security Administration lines at airports, as agents are facing a second missed paycheck this week and are skipping work. The Trump administration this week deployed ICE agents to some U.S. airports in what it described as a bid to assist TSA agents.
