BREAKING: Congress races to avert shutdown with $1.2T deal, ICE fight threatens final votes
Congressional leaders just dropped a $1.2 trillion funding package to keep the government open. I have the bill text in hand. The plan funds the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, and a wide range of domestic agencies. The clock is ticking. Votes could come fast, and the wrong move could still trigger a partial shutdown.
What is in the $1.2T package
This is the final set of fiscal year 2026 spending bills. It locks in money for core security, federal pay, and key services. It also rejects some of the deepest cuts that had been on the table.
Air travel workers win a clear gain. Air traffic controllers get a 3.8 percent pay raise. That aims to boost staffing and safety at busy towers. ✈️
Education programs avoid the axe. The package rejects proposed cuts to the Education Department. That protects grants, student aid operations, and civil rights enforcement.
Defense and homeland security stay funded. The Pentagon keeps training, maintenance, and procurement on track. DHS keeps Coast Guard patrols, disaster response, and screening at ports and airports.
- Key items included:
- Full year money for the Pentagon and DHS
- 3.8 percent raise for air traffic controllers
- No broad cuts to the Education Department
- Steady operations for health, transportation, and veterans services
What is not in the deal
This package does not rewrite immigration law. It does not add sweeping asylum limits. It does not grant new parole powers or cut them back. Those fights sit outside this bill.
The sharpest dispute is inside DHS accounts, focused on ICE funding and detention. Leaders are still haggling over how many detention beds to pay for. They are also divided on interior enforcement and removal operations. The choice is simple. More beds and more enforcement money, or a tighter, targeted approach.
If negotiators try to lock policy limits into the funding bill, the votes get harder. If they stick to dollars only, the path is smoother. That is the balance on the line tonight.
The ICE dispute is the last live wire. If it stays unresolved, a single voting bloc can stall the entire package.
The legal stakes if the clock runs out
The Constitution requires an appropriation before federal money is spent. The Antideficiency Act enforces that rule. If Congress misses the deadline, agencies must stop nonessential work. That is the shutdown trigger.
Essential services would continue. Border agents, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers would remain on duty. Military operations would continue. But pay could be delayed until the bill is signed.
Federal workers have rights here. Under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, furloughed and excepted workers must receive back pay after funding resumes. Agencies must give clear written guidance on status, pay, and benefits.
Citizens keep key benefits. Social Security and Medicare payments continue, since they are mandatory spending. Mail delivery continues. Passport and visa processing could slow. National parks access could be limited and uneven, based on agency plans.
What travelers and families should expect
Airports would stay open. Security lines could grow if staffing stretches. Flight safety remains the first priority. Education grant payments and student loan servicing should continue, but support lines may be slower.
A lapse in funding can start even if final passage is likely. Timing matters. A short delay can still cause a brief shutdown under the law.
How the votes are likely to unfold
Leaders want a swift floor schedule. The text is out, and the whip counts are under way. Final passage will require bipartisan votes in both chambers. There is little room for error. In the Senate, any single objection can slow the clock. In the House, a narrow margin means moderates from both parties hold leverage.
There is talk of a same day vote. There is also quiet talk of a very short bridge if the ICE talks slip. Either way, the legal deadline does not move. Agencies need signed appropriations to keep every office open.
Your rights and your next steps
If you are a federal employee, check agency notices and your union updates. You have a right to back pay and a clear duty status notice. Keep records of hours worked if you are excepted.
If you are a traveler, arrive early and stay flexible. Watch airline alerts and airport advisories. Controllers and screeners will be on the job, but delays are possible.
If you rely on federal benefits, expect payments to continue. If you need a passport or permit soon, submit now and build in extra time.
Call your member of Congress. Ask if they support passing the full package without last minute policy riders. Clear, simple messages can move the needle.
The bottom line
I have reviewed the package. The money is there to keep the government open, pay air traffic controllers more, and protect core services. The ICE funding fight is the swing issue that could scramble the votes. The law is unforgiving if the deadline is missed. Essential workers show up. Pay waits. Families feel the friction.
The next few hours decide whether we get a clean finish or a costly lapse. I will keep pressing leaders on the terms, the timing, and the path to yes. ⚖️
