Congressional Republicans Announce Plan to End Partial DHS Shutdown

House and Senate Republicans unveiled a new proposal Thursday aimed at ending the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown, which has now lasted more than six weeks. The plan would fund the department through the end of the fiscal year while separating the most contentious immigration enforcement provisions into a separate legislative track.

The shutdown, which began on February 14 after Senate Democrats blocked a DHS funding bill over concerns about immigration enforcement conduct, has crippled operations at airports nationwide. Hundreds of TSA officers have quit, callout rates have spiked above 50 percent at some airports, and travelers have faced hours-long security lines during one of the busiest spring travel periods in years. The crisis was compounded this week by the deadly LaGuardia Airport runway collision, which raised questions about air traffic control staffing under shutdown conditions.

Democrats have insisted on reforms to immigration enforcement practices as a condition of restoring DHS funding, including requirements for judicial warrants during raids and restrictions on ICE conduct. Whether the new Republican proposal can attract the 60 Senate votes needed to advance remains an open question. For USVI travelers relying on mainland connections, any movement toward reopening DHS and paying TSA workers would be welcome news heading into the Festival season.