The Digester
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Senate Republicans plan reconciliation bill to fund Iran war, ICE and voter ID amid DHS shutdown

Senate Republicans said they will use budget reconciliation to push a bill that could fund military action in Iran, ICE and voter ID measures as a dispute over a partial DHS shutdown causes long TSA lines and unpaid workers; Democrats insist on reforms to ICE and CBP before funding those agencies.

Mar 25th 2026 · United States

Insights

  • Senate Republicans announced plans to use budget reconciliation to craft a bill that could fund military action in Iran and provide funding for ICE.
  • The proposal may include elements of the Save America Act to impose stricter voter ID requirements.
  • Reconciliation would allow passage with only Republican votes by bypassing the Senate filibuster but is limited to budgetary provisions.
  • Senate leader John Thune offered to restart funding for most DHS agencies while excluding ICE, prompting a Democratic counteroffer demanding reforms for ICE and CBP.
  • The partial DHS shutdown has produced long TSA lines at major airports and left many TSA employees without pay, forcing some to miss paychecks and seek other work.
  • ICE deportation operations remain funded by last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so the shutdown has not halted those activities.
  • Republicans face hurdles because the Save America Act likely cannot meet reconciliation’s budgetary rules and a one-seat House majority narrows the party’s margin for passing contentious measures.

Sources