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-Editorial
The Senate blocked a six-bill spending package passed by the House, voting 55–45 against advancing the measure after it included extended funding for the Department of Homeland Security through Sept. 30 without accompanying reforms. The vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to proceed.
A bipartisan group of senators — all Democrats and seven Republicans, opposed the legislation, citing concerns about providing DHS funding without additional oversight measures. Lawmakers said negotiations would continue in the coming days as a partial government shutdown looms ahead of the Jan. 31 deadline.
The package combined six fiscal 2026 appropriations bills covering multiple federal departments and agencies, including Homeland Security, Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Financial Services and General Government, and the State Department. Funding for these agencies is set to expire at the end of the month if a deal is not reached.
Congress has already enacted full-year appropriations for several departments, including Agriculture, the Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior and Environment. However, six of the twelve fiscal 2026 appropriations bills — covering most major federal agencies — remain unresolved. Lawmakers have emphasized the urgency of reaching an agreement to prevent disruptions to government operations.
The vote comes months after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, which lasted 43 days and caused widespread disruptions across the country. That shutdown ended with a temporary appropriations measure that funded federal operations only through Jan. 30, 2026, while providing full-year funding for a limited number of agencies.
Opposition to the current six-bill package focused primarily on DHS. Some senators expressed concern about extending funding without instituting new oversight measures or reforms of immigration enforcement practices. In recent months, several incidents involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have intensified scrutiny of the department.
Following the vote, the American Immigration Lawyers Association issued a statement urging Congress to pursue reforms alongside any funding agreement. AILA President Jeff Joseph said the organization supported senators who opposed the bill, citing concerns about enforcement practices in communities nationwide. “We stand in solidarity against the violence and chaos DHS has unleashed in our communities,” Joseph said. “AILA applauds all the senators who voted no and are demanding responsible governance, real oversight, and an end to abusive enforcement practices that undermine public trust and put lives at risk.”
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson called for structural reforms, emphasizing the need for independent investigations into enforcement actions and the elimination of practices such as racial profiling and indiscriminate arrests. “This moment demands fair, independent investigations that ensure justice for the people whose lives have been taken,” Johnson said. “But Congress cannot settle for temporary fixes. We need lasting reform that ends unconstitutional practices, reduces DHS’s budget excesses, and keeps communities safe.”
Senate leaders from both parties indicated that negotiations would continue over the coming days, with a focus on revising provisions related to DHS funding. House and Senate negotiators will need to reach a compromise before the Jan. 31 deadline to prevent a partial shutdown. If no agreement is reached, federal agencies covered by the six bills could face lapses in funding, affecting services for millions of Americans.
