US House votes to end partial government shutdown after 76 days

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Getty Images An exterior shot of the US Capitol building during daylight hours.Getty Images

US lawmakers have voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ending a 76-day partial government shutdown over the federal agency's immigration enforcement operations.

Members of the US House of Representatives approved a Senate-passed bill via voice vote, sending it to President Donald Trump for signature on Thursday.

The DHS has continued to run without routine funds since 14 February, leading to major disruptions and hours-long wait times at airports across the US.

The measure reopens DHS but does not provide funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or parts of Customs and Border Protection - the two agencies responsible for immigration enforcement.

Democrats have refused to fund the two agencies, unless they are reformed in the wake of two deadly shootings by the agencies' operatives in the state of Minnesota.

Republicans have rejected those demands, instead pushing for full funding for ICE and Border Patrol, resulting in the impasse.

The two agencies would now get additional funding in another, separate bill, that is currently being considered by the House.

But Thursday's vote clears the DHS funding deadlock in Congress that led to chaos at airports in March due to a shortage of security officers at checkpoints.

In March, after days of snarled traffic at US airports, Trump signed executive order to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, who are considered essential workers and are required to work without immediate pay during a federal shutdown.

While that eased tensions, the Trump administration warned that emergency DHS funds were set to run out later this week.

Calls for action further intensified after Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, where prosecutors say a man attempted to assassinate Trump.

The White House budget office had warned that homeland security operations not involved in Trump's immigration crackdown could run out of money in May for workers employed in presidential and airport security.


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