The White House and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reached an agreement to fund the government, sidelining the controversial DHS funding bill in the process. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)
That's because House and Senate Democrats walked away from an initial compromise that would similarly fund DHS through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026, in exchange for added guardrails on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) like a new body-worn camera mandate and required training on de-escalation and public engagement.
The earlier plan passed the House, mostly with only GOP support, but was rejected by Senate Democrats in the wake of unrest in Minneapolis over Trump's immigration crackdown. Federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens there during anti-ICE demonstrations, with tensions escalating thanks to those fatal encounters and angry rhetoric by progressive local officials.
Trump's new deal for DHS with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is aimed at giving time for more bipartisan negotiations on a longer-term funding plan.
GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN AGAIN AFTER DEMOCRATS REVOLT OVER DHS FUNDING
But the move frustrated some House Republicans all the way up to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who told his conference on a lawmaker-only call Friday that he was "frustrated" by the compromise but that congressional Republicans needed to stick by Trump's decisions as the leader of their party.
He also told reporters during a Tuesday morning press conference, "This is not my preferred route. I wanted to keep all six bills together."
"But listen, the president agreed with Schumer that they would separate Homeland, and we'll do that, and we'll handle it," Johnson continued. "The Republicans are going to do the responsible thing."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continue to conduct immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, Jan. 28, 2026. (Madison Thorn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital, "I am concerned, but I’m hopeful that the president in the negotiations will hold firm, and hold strong."
But two more House Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital privately signaled they did not see a path to GOP success on DHS after Trump's talks with Senate Democrats.
"Whatever will come of that will be something that I probably won’t be able to support," one of them said.
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"How are we in a better negotiating position in two weeks? The only difference will be time," the second GOP lawmaker said. "At the end of the day, I’m worried that we’re going to make a lot of concessions that we wouldn't normally make."
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital that Trump would hold firm on implementing his immigration law.
"President Trump and his entire Administration have been clear: we will not waver when implementing the President’s electoral mandate to enforce federal immigration law. Democrats should not hold funding hostage for disaster relief as many Americans continue to recover from winter storms," Jackson said.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-conservatives-warn-trump-schumer-deal-undercuts-gop-leverage-dhs-funding