Speaker Johnson Caves to Thune, Accepts Senate DHS Bill That Excludes ICE and CBP Funding

House Speaker Mike Johnson has capitulated to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, agreeing to advance a Senate-passed funding bill that explicitly excludes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and key Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement operations. This abrupt reversal, announced on April 1, 2026, marks a significant concession after Johnson and House Republicans had rejected the same bill for over a week. The move effectively leaves critical immigration enforcement agencies without dedicated funding in the main appropriations package, shifting the contentious battle over long-term border security funding to the partisan reconciliation process.

The agreement, detailed in a joint statement from Johnson and Thune, funds most other functions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer immediately claimed victory, posting on social media that "House Republicans caved" by agreeing to pass the Senate bill. The political fallout centers on the strategic abandonment of Republican demands, including the omission of voter ID provisions and the decision to sideline ICE and CBP's operational budgets from the primary funding vehicle.

This maneuver signals intense internal pressure within the GOP and represents a major tactical retreat by Speaker Johnson. It sets the stage for a high-stakes political fight over immigration enforcement funding later in the year, while leaving the administration's border security capabilities in a state of budgetary uncertainty. The decision exposes deep fissures in Republican strategy and hands Democrats a clear, immediate win on government funding priorities.