• US Congress ends a 76-day partial government shutdown affecting DHS.
• House approved funding through the end of the fiscal year without new immigration enforcement money.
• Political disputes remain unresolved as funding for ICE and Border Patrol is excluded.
• Emergency funds for salary coverage were running low before the vote.
• Legislation restores funding to several agencies, including FEMA and TSA.

The US Congress voted on Thursday to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), effectively ending a record-breaking partial government shutdown that lasted 76 days and disrupted several critical agencies. The House approved a Senate-passed bill by a voice vote, allowing the DHS to operate through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, while the needed support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol remains a point of contention, according to BBC, South China Morning Post, and Le Monde.

This government shutdown, which began on February 14, marked the longest funding lapse of its kind, according to reports. The House's approval of the funding came just hours before a critical deadline, following warnings from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that emergency funds intended for salaries were about to run out. However, the agreement does not allocate new funds for immigration enforcement agencies, which has led to further unresolved political disputes, as noted by BBC and South China Morning Post.

The bill restores normal funding to other critical DHS components, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard, but leaves aside financially strained agencies like ICE and Border Patrol. The standoff began as Democrats insisted on new restrictions related to immigration enforcement tactics, while Republicans opposed those amendments, leading to deadlock, according to South China Morning Post and Le Monde.

Moving forward, Republicans are considering a separate approach for funding ICE and Border Patrol, with proposals up to $70 billion in upcoming budget reconciliation efforts to bypass Democratic opposition. Despite the current funding resolution, the fundamental disagreements over immigration policy will likely resurface, especially as the September deadline looms, highlighting significant divides within the Republican Party as well, according to BBC, South China Morning Post, and Le Monde.