Mike Johnson panned for ‘caving’ to John Thune in DHS shutdown off-ramp

Published April 1, 2026 5:57pm ET



House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was panned by Democrats on Wednesday for appearing to cave to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and agreeing to end a weekslong Department of Homeland Security shutdown that omits funding for immigration enforcement.

Johnson is scrapping the 60-day stopgap bill passed by the House, which included more money for immigration agencies, and will instead try to pass a bipartisan Senate deal that cleared the upper chamber and excludes immigration funding, according to a House leadership aide. The decision marks a reversal from his position just days earlier.

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