GOP lawmakers unveil agreement to restart full government operations

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Republican leaders in the US Congress said Wednesday they had reached a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end a week-long partial government shutdown that has brought chaos to airports.

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The agreement, brokered by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, would restore funding for most of the agency while deferring the most contentious immigration enforcement spending to a separate measure.

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The plan marks a sharp reversal for House Republicans, who rejected a similar Senate-backed proposal just days ago but moved to revive it after coming under pressure from President Donald Trump.

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The agreement also ignores Democratic demands for limits on harsh immigration enforcement tactics that have angered many in America.

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Under the deal, Homeland Security (DHS) would be funded through the end of the fiscal year, with agencies involved in Trump’s immigration crackdown — including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection — relying on funds approved separately last year.

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Republican leaders said they would pursue longer-term funding for border security and immigration enforcement through what is known as budget reconciliation, a party-line process allowing them to bypass Democratic opposition.

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“In following this two-track approach, the Republican Congress will fully reopen the department, make sure all federal workers are paid and, specifically, fund immigration enforcement and border security for the next three years so that those law-enforcement activities can continue uninhibited,” Johnson and Thune said in a joint statement.

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The compromise could pave the way for a rapid vote as early as Thursday, when both chambers are scheduled to hold brief, largely procedural sessions that could allow the legislation to pass if no lawmaker objects.

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The government shutdown — the longest of any kind in US history — has strained airport operations, with Transportation Security Administration workers missing paychecks and staffing shortages leading to long lines at metal detectors.

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Democrats’ objections were fueled in part by two fatal shootings of US citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year, when federal immigration agents killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good during enforcement operations. The incidents sparked nationwide protests and raised concerns about the use of force.

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Democrats had refused to back funding for immigration enforcement agencies without new limits on their operations, including requirements for judicial warrants and restrictions on agents wearing masks.

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Those demands were not included in the final agreement.

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Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer claimed victory, however, saying Republican infighting had forced the compromise.

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“For days, Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement,” he said, adding that Democrats had “refused to let Republican chaos win.”

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AFP

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