Senate Floor Fight Reveals How Far Apart Democrats and Republicans Are on DHS Shutdown

Both parties blocked each other’s funding proposals over two days, exposing a wide gap on ICE reforms with no deal in sight.

(Left) Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). (Right) Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 30, 2025. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

For two days this week, senators took turns proposing ways to end the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. For two days, each proposal was immediately killed by the other party.

The March 11–12 floor fight made one thing clear: Democrats and Republicans are not close to a deal, and the nearly monthlong shutdown shows no signs of ending soon. The Senate adjourned on March 12 and is not scheduled to return until March 16.