Senate Votes to End Shutdown Amid Immigration Tensions

On Friday, the U.S. Senate voted to end the partial government shutdown that had gridlocked airports nationwide. However, the core immigration enforcement dispute that sparked the six-week impasse remains unresolved.

The newly passed legislation restores funding for the Department of Homeland Security, encompassing airport security, disaster-response workers, and Coast Guard personnel, all of whom have been serving without pay since mid-February. Absent from the bill are new restrictions on DHS agents executing President Donald Trump's stringent immigration policies, a primary condition set by Democrats.

The Republican-majority House of Representatives needs to pass the bill before it can be signed into law by President Trump. Notably, the shutdown has resulted in extensive delays at U.S. airports, with many security officers calling in sick or quitting due to unpaid duties, particularly affecting large hubs in Houston and Atlanta.

(With inputs from agencies.)