House Republicans rejected a bipartisan deal from the Senate to reopen the Department of Homeland Security while excluding Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) on Friday, dismissing it as a “joke.”
Instead, the House GOP pushed forward its own measure to keep the department funded until May 22, with a 213-203 vote late Friday night. But the bill has little chance of passing the upper chamber, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it is “dead on arrival.”
Before leaving for a two-week break, the Senate passed a funding bill that would have ended the ongoing partial shutdown that has crippled U.S. airports in recent weeks, forcing travelers to face major delays and long lines for security checks across the country.
But while Senate Republicans had reached an agreement with their Democratic peers, House Republicans harshly rejected the compromise, criticizing their fellow party members for agreeing to withhold money for ICE.
“House Republicans are not going to be any part of any effort to reopen our borders or to stop immigration enforcement,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Friday. “This gambit that was done last night is a joke.”
This is a developing news story. More to follow.
