DHS Shutdown Reaches Record 45 Days

Congress begins spring recess as funding deal stalls, prolonging the longest government shutdown in history.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 3:05pm

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The Department of Homeland Security shutdown has reached 45 days, setting a new record for the longest government shutdown. The shutdown began on February 14 after a funding bill stalled in Congress. With lawmakers now on a two-week spring recess, the shutdown is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, causing ongoing disruptions at airports and other DHS operations.

Why it matters

The record-breaking DHS shutdown highlights the deep partisan divisions in Congress and the inability of lawmakers to reach a compromise on key funding issues. The prolonged shutdown is causing significant disruptions to airport security and other critical homeland security functions, raising concerns about public safety and the economy.

The details

The DHS shutdown began on February 14 when a funding bill collapsed in the House of Representatives just hours before Congress was set to begin a two-week spring recess. The stalled deal exposed a rare disconnect between the two Republican leaders in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune. While the Senate had unanimously agreed to a funding plan, Johnson angrily rejected it as a "joke." With lawmakers now away from the Capitol, behind-the-scenes negotiations will likely continue, but a resolution does not appear imminent.

  • The DHS shutdown reached 45 days on Monday, March 30, 2026.
  • The previous record for the longest government shutdown was 43 days, set during a 2025 shutdown over expiring health insurance subsidies.

The players

Mike Johnson

The Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives.

John Thune

The Republican Senate Majority Leader.

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What they’re saying

“Theoretically, and I think this is a substantial probability, there's going to be a lot of phone calls between Mike Johnson, Thune and Trump.”

— Rich Rubino, Political analyst and historian

“It'll be very hard to see a scenario where they go back to their states, go back to their districts, and they do not deal with this. I think there's really going to be an uprising on the part of their constituents who are going through the TSA lines who are going to say, 'You really need to deal with this.'”

— Rich Rubino, Political analyst and historian

What’s next

The president last week signed a deal that will pay Transportation Security Administration workers, who have gone without paychecks for 45 days. Experts say the hours-long security lines at airports won't improve much until officers are confident the shutdown won't happen again soon.

The takeaway

The record-breaking DHS shutdown underscores the deep partisan divisions in Congress and the inability of lawmakers to reach compromise on critical funding issues. The prolonged shutdown is causing significant disruptions to homeland security operations, raising concerns about public safety and the economy.