Senate blocks string of funding bills as DHS, ICE dispute comes to a head

The vote makes a shutdown increasingly likely, given the House already passed all six bills and has left for recess.

Published: January 29, 2026 3:16pm

The Senate on Thursday voted down a package of six appropriations bills to fund the government amid a dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

The six-bill package would have completed the annual appropriations cycle, but the 55-45 vote against advancement has set up a likely government shutdown should the upper chamber fail to resolve its disputes by Saturday, Politico reported.

At issue is current funding for the Department of Homeland Security and its subordinate agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which have come under scrutiny amid President Donald Trump's mass deportation initiatives.

Several of the Republicans who joined Democrats to oppose the move rank among the more conservative wing of the conference and hope to secure adjustments to the DHS bill or spending cuts.

The vote makes a shutdown increasingly likely, given the House already passed all six bills and has left for recess.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.

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