06.04.2026 21:27

House Democrats are set to gather for a virtual caucus call this evening, April 6, to strategize their next moves as the Department of Homeland Security shutdown stretches into its 51st day, now the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. According to Punchbowl News, the meeting comes as lawmakers return from a two-week recess that included Passover and Easter, with no end to the stalemate in sight. The shutdown, which began on February 14, surpassed the previous record of 43 days on March 29, eclipsing the fall 2025 shutdown. The prolonged closure has triggered significant fallout: over 480 Transportation Security Administration officers have resigned, airport wait times have ballooned past four hours in some locations, and the economic toll is estimated at $2.5 billion. The Senate passed a funding agreement by voice vote in the early hours of last Friday following an overnight session, crafting a deal that funds most of DHS while deliberately excluding allocations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol—a key Democratic demand. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer both supported the measure. However, the House swiftly rejected it. Speaker Mike Johnson instead advanced a 60-day stopgap bill that would fund the entire department, including ICE and CBP, a move Senate Democrats immediately dismissed as "dead on arrival."