Homeland Security shutdown ends hours before workers would have gone without pay again

The 76-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, the longest funding lapse in U.S. history, is over. President Trump signed a bill Thursday to fund most of the department’s agencies after the House passed it by voice vote. The two agencies that did not receive annual appropriations in the bill — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the border security functions of Customs and Border Protection — have a separate stream of funding that has kept them operational throughout the shutdown. The bill was signed just in time to prevent department employees from losing their paychecks again. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced on social media that his department is “back open,” but added, “This Democrat shutdown NEVER should have happened.” “To our great, patriotic employees who have continued to protect the homeland every single day without a guaranteed paycheck — thank you,” he said. “President Trump and I are very grateful to be in the fight with you to Make America Safe Again.” Senate Democrats filibustered a full department funding bill the House passed in January as they pushed for an overhaul of immigration enforcement agencies after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens who were protesting the deportation