Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota, the Senate Majority Leader, departed Washington, D.C., on Friday morning amid a deepening crisis over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

The two Republicans were spotted at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport shortly after the Senate approved a bipartisan measure in the early hours of March 27 to fund most DHS operations through September. The bill passed via voice vote in a nearly empty chamber at 2:30 a.m., but it excluded funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol, prompting swift rejection by House Republicans.

Cruz boarded a flight soon after the vote, while Thune hurried through the airport and told reporters, "We’ve made some temporary headway, but we’ve got a lot of work to do." Their departures coincided with the start of a scheduled two-week Easter recess for the Senate, leaving negotiations stalled.

The partial shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history at over 44 days as of Sunday, has furloughed around 100,000 DHS workers and forced others to labor without pay. TSA agents have called out in droves, causing lengthy security lines at airports nationwide. FEMA and Coast Guard personnel are also impacted, exacerbating vulnerabilities during a busy spring travel season.

Thune, on March 25, marked day 40 of what he called the "Democrats’ Dangerous DHS Shutdown," noting it followed a 43-day full-government shutdown in the fall. He criticized Democrats for rejecting Republican proposals, including one to halt senators' pay during the lapse, and urged them to accept a deal to reopen the department.

House Speaker Mike Johnson labeled the Senate bill "a joke," arguing it reflected Democratic priorities by sidelining border security funding. House Republicans advanced a rival 60-day stopgap to fully fund DHS, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection, but it faces uncertain prospects in the Democrat-led Senate upon return.

The impasse stems from Republican demands to tie DHS funding to immigration enforcement reforms, including elements of President Trump's SAVE America Act, which Democrats have opposed. President Trump issued an executive order to pay TSA workers temporarily but lacks authority for full funding.

As of Tuesday, March 31, no resolution has emerged. The White House urged Congress to cancel its recess, while federal workers face another paycheck delay. Travelers report ongoing chaos at checkpoints, and Thune previously warned against breaking without funding DHS. Lawmakers from both chambers exchanged blame, with Rep. Lauren Boebert tweeting a jab at Senate schedulers about unfinished business.

This marks the second shutdown of 2026, following a brief lapse in January-February over similar disputes. Pressure mounts for bipartisan compromise when the Senate reconvenes after Easter.