The Senate held a pro forma session today, while most Senators are on Easter recess. There was speculation as to whether or not they'd pass the House DHS funding bill that included ICE. The Senate would have needed to do so with unanimous consent.
Senate scheduled for a pro forma session today. Unclear if GOPers will try to pass House approved DHS funding bill by unanimous consent with skeleton crew on hand
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) March 30, 2026
They gaveled into the pro forma session earlier this morning.
🚨 JUST IN: The Senate is about to gavel in to a PRO FORMA SESSION while senators are on paid vacation
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 30, 2026
Pass the House DHS funding bill that includes ICE with unanimous consent!
There is absolutely NO reason we should give in to Chuck Schumer. We have a GOP trifecta, ACT LIKE IT pic.twitter.com/XJjadfEWp4
According to Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, the Senate do not pass the House DHS funding bill.
BREAKING: The Senate just held a quick pro forma session & adjourned until Thursday. GOP did not introduce the House passed DHS funding bill via unanimous consent, but if they did, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) was here and told us he planned to object/kill it. DHS shutdown continues.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 30, 2026
Here's some more from the New York Post:
Senate Republicans declined to make any attempt at passing the GOP House's solution to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown during the chamber's pro forma session on Monday.
The Senate had broken for recess last week after passing a DHS funding deal that the House GOP quickly rejected in favor of a 60-day stopgap measure to fund the entire department.
There had been some speculation that Senate Republicans would attempt to wrangle the House bill deal through the upper chamber during its brief session on Monday, but that didn't happen.
In theory, Senate Republicans could've moved to pass the measure through unanimous consent. While most senators are out of town, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) stood ready in the chamber to block any such attempt on behalf of Democrats.
When the House or Senate goes on recess, it typically holds pro forma sessions, short meetings where no official business is conducted to keep the chamber technically in session. In the Senate, this is done to stop a president from making recess appointments.
Yesterday, Senator Mike Lee said the Senate should pass the bill and reconvene immediately if it doesn't.
Recommended
*Maybe* Senate Democrats will let the House-passed DHS funding bill pass by unanimous consent in tomorrow’s pro forma session
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) March 29, 2026
They should let it pass, and it’ll reflect poorly on them if they don’t
But in the (likely) event that they don’t, the Senate must reconvene immediately pic.twitter.com/7ZoSTYqkyG
As Melugin reported, they adjourned until Thursday.
Democrats are praying a disaster happens. Evil.
— JWF (@JammieWF) March 30, 2026
Yes, they are. That's why the Republicans need to pass the bill.
This is f***ing pathetic. https://t.co/Y5ROW5kC5k
— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) March 30, 2026
It is. Democrats always manage to pass their legislation, even if they don't have 60 votes in the Senate. Republicans need to do the same.
For those of you who may not know what a pro forma session is, allow me to explain. It’s basically like handing your time card to your coworker on Friday afternoon and asking him to clock in for you on Monday morning so you can extend your weekend fishing trip without burning any… https://t.co/19yAUrJTi6
— Brandon 🇺🇸🥓🥃 (@Brash_1) March 30, 2026
That seems to be the prevailing sentiment on X right now, and no one is happy about it.

