WASHINGTON D.C. — The weeklong partial government shutdown is officially history. In a nail-biting late-night session, the House of Representatives voted 217-214 to pass a massive $1.2 trillion spending package, which President Donald Trump immediately signed into law.
The vote was as close as it gets, reflecting the deep fractures in Washington. While the bill restores funding for most federal agencies through September, it leaves a ticking time bomb regarding the border: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is funded only until February 13, giving lawmakers just 10 days to resolve a brutal standoff over immigration policy.
President Trump signed the legislation late Tuesday, stating it was necessary to prevent economic damage. "We cannot have another long, pointless, and destructive shutdown that hurts our country," Trump said. "We’ve restored order and stability, and now it’s time to get back to work securing the border and strengthening our nation."
The passage required a rare bipartisan coalition. 21 House Republicans broke ranks to vote "NO," furious that the bill did not include the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act or full-year DHS funding. To pass the measure, Speaker Mike Johnson relied on 21 Democrats who crossed the aisle to provide the winning margin.
Conservative firebrands, including Reps. Thomas Massie (KY), Lauren Boebert (CO), and Chip Roy (TX), led the opposition. They argued the bill failed to deliver on core GOP promises.
"Blocked again — no SAVE Act, no border security, and a two-week DHS patch," Massie vented on X, blasting the exclusion of the bill that would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
Speaker Johnson defended the deal, arguing that holding up the entire government over DHS funding was "futile" because the agency is already flush with cash. "ICE and CBP already received historic funding through last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act — $75 billion for ICE and $65 billion for CBP," Johnson noted. "They have enough resources to continue critical missions for years."
The relief may be short-lived. The fight now shifts to the February 13 deadline for DHS. Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, are demanding strict oversight measures—including body cameras and judicial warrants for ICE—following two fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Monday that the administration is already moving on some reforms, announcing that ICE agents in Minneapolis will now wear body cameras. "Body cameras will show the dangerous circumstances our agents face daily," Noem said. "But they will also expose them to more scrutiny."
With the clock ticking, the battle lines are drawn. The government is open, but the war over the border is far from over.
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