Republican Leaders Split Over Homeland Security Funding Deal

House Speaker Mike Johnson rejects Senate's bipartisan compromise, exposing rift between GOP leaders in Congress.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 6:18pm

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A deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security that was negotiated by Senate Majority Leader John Thune collapsed after House Speaker Mike Johnson angrily rejected the compromise, exposing a rare split between the top Republican leaders in Congress. The failed agreement has left the agency in partial shutdown and Congress with no clear path forward as lawmakers head into a two-week spring break.

Why it matters

The breakdown of the DHS funding deal highlights the growing divisions within the Republican party, as hardline conservatives clash with moderates over immigration enforcement and other priorities. This rift threatens to complicate GOP efforts to advance President Trump's agenda before the November elections, including plans for strict new voter ID laws and funding for the war with Iran.

The details

After weeks of negotiations, Thune had reached a bipartisan compromise with Democrats that would have provided DHS funding without new restrictions on immigration enforcement. However, when the Senate deal was presented to House Republicans, Speaker Johnson denounced it as a 'joke' and vowed to protect the House and the American people. Dozens of GOP House members, ranging from moderates to hardliners, voiced opposition to the Senate plan on a conference call, with Rep. Nick LaLota calling the senators 'cowards' for wanting to 'go home for two weeks' instead of standing firm.

  • The Senate deal was finalized in the early hours of Friday morning.
  • House Speaker Johnson rejected the compromise plan on Friday afternoon.
  • Congress is now on a two-week spring break, leaving the DHS partial shutdown unresolved.

The players

Mike Johnson

The Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who rejected the Senate's bipartisan DHS funding compromise.

John Thune

The Republican Senate Majority Leader who negotiated the ultimately doomed DHS funding deal with Democrats.

Nick LaLota

A Republican Congressman from New York who criticized the Senate for 'chickening out' on the DHS funding negotiations.

Katherine Clark

The Democratic Whip in the House of Representatives who accused House Republicans of knowingly continuing the DHS partial shutdown.

Susan Collins

The Republican Senator from Maine who leads the Senate Appropriations Committee and accused Democrats of being 'intransigent and unreasonable' in the funding talks.

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What they’re saying

“I have to protect the House, and I have to protect the American people.”

— Mike Johnson, House Speaker

“The Senate chickened out. The cowards there, only a few of them in the middle of the night with I think only three to five senators present on the floor, chickened out because they wanted to go home for two weeks. We need to raise the bar.”

— Nick LaLota, Republican Congressman

“They know this is a continuation of the shutdown because the Senate is gone. So they know fully well what they're doing.”

— Katherine Clark, Democratic Whip

“Democrats were 'intransigent and unreasonable'.”

— Susan Collins, Republican Senator

“I felt like from the beginning, they just didn't want to get to 'yes'.”

— John Thune, Senate Majority Leader

What’s next

It is unclear what the Senate will do next, as negotiations ended acrimoniously and a quick resumption of talks is unlikely. Congress is now on a two-week spring break, leaving the DHS partial shutdown unresolved.

The takeaway

The collapse of the DHS funding deal has exposed a rare rift between the top Republican leaders in Congress, with hardline conservatives in the House rejecting the bipartisan compromise negotiated by the Senate. This divide threatens to complicate the GOP's ability to advance President Trump's priorities before the November elections, including plans for strict new voter ID laws and funding for the war with Iran.