Trump may force Congress to come back from recess to fix the DHS shutdown.
President Donald Trump said he is considering forcing Congress to return to Washington for a rare special session to resolve the ongoing funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security.
“It’s something that’s under consideration,” Trump told The New York Post, as lawmakers remain on recess until April 14 — a timeline that would leave DHS workers unpaid for nearly two months.
Trump signaled no immediate move before Easter, adding, “Maybe we’ll let them have Easter,” in a light aside that underscores the timing pressure.
The standoff has already strained operations across key agencies, even as the White House tries to patch gaps. Trump recently authorized pay for Transportation Security Administration workers through executive action, though questions remain about how long that workaround can hold.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said normal operations won’t resume until Congress fully funds the department.
The Department of Homeland Security oversees a wide swath of national security functions, including Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The funding fight has centered on immigration policy. Senate Democrats have pushed for changes to Trump’s mass-deportation agenda, while Republicans have resisted partial funding measures that would separate DHS operations from enforcement priorities.
A forced return would be extraordinary. The last time a president compelled Congress into a special session was in 1948, when Harry Truman called lawmakers back to address major domestic legislation.
More over at The New York Post:
Trump considers ending Congress's two-week recess for a rare special session to end DHS shutdown https://t.co/kJ4B6V4v2X pic.twitter.com/V9HYHieBZR
— New York Post (@nypost) March 31, 2026
