Senators meet with border czar Tom Homan as lawmakers search for way out of DHS shutdown

Source: CBS News

Updated on: March 19, 2026 / 11:16 PM EDT


Washington — A group of senators met with border czar Tom Homan on Thursday as negotiators continue to seek an agreement to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement and end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. More than a month into the funding lapse, the meeting marked a key development as progress to date has appeared stagnant. Democrats and the White House have been trading proposals in recent weeks, but the two sides have remained far apart.

"First step is dialogue, and this is the very first time that we have had that" in six weeks, Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama said. "I hope that we will see more of that in the days to come." She added that Thursday's meeting was not a negotiation, but a conversation, and there is "no guarantee of anything." "I think it was helpful," she said.

While Democrats have been trading offers with the White House, Senate Republicans have pushed publicly for member-level talks in recent weeks. Democrats have argued that they needed assurances that the administration is serious about the negotiations, while voicing skepticism that talks with Senate Republicans would yield a breakthrough.

At the hearing, Democrats made clear that distance remains between their demands and what the White House has offered, according to a Democratic aide. "I'm glad that the White House is talking with us, but they have a lot of work to do," Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said in a statement. "My colleagues and I are not going to vote for any deal that doesn't include real reforms on warrants, masks, training, and our other demands."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dhs-shutdown-border-czar-homan-senators-meeting/