The US Senate has voted to end a partial 40-day government shutdown, approving funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - with the exception of immigration enforcement.

The almost six-week funding lapse has seen knock-on disruption at US airports, where security workers' salaries are paid by the DHS and hundreds have quit since the shutdown began.

Democrats had refused to agree to a funding deal without reforms to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. However, the Senate reached unanimous agreement in the early hours of Friday after stripping ICE and parts of border protection out of the measure.

The funding measures must now face a vote in the House of Representatives.

It is hoped that the package will bring an end to widespread disruption at airports across the US, where travelers have faced hours-long queues due to a shortage of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at security checkpoints.

Around 50,000 agents at the TSA - which sits under the DHS - have been working without pay since mid-February due to the shutdown, reducing the number turning up to work each day and leading to hundreds quitting.

A BBC reporter at Houston airport reported waiting about two hours in a winding queue, only to encounter another long line stretching towards security once reaching the escalator.

The airport is currently operating just one-third to 50% of its TSA checkpoints, according to Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System.

Hours before the Senate vote, US President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that he would sign an executive order to immediately pay out TSA Agents.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed that President Trump should never have had to step in to rescue TSA workers and US air travel, following the vote. He criticized the Democrats' refusal to negotiate, resulting in piecemeal funding for Homeland Security rather than a comprehensive bill.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer noted that the package included vital funding for TSA, the US Coast Guard, and FEMA. He stated that the fatalities of Renee Good and Alex Pretti highlighted the need for Democrats to demand accountability from ICE and border patrol.

Recent actions of ICE agents have sparked controversy, notably related to fatal shootings in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Democrats are seeking to include provisions that would ban racial profiling and require judicial warrants for ICE agents before entering private properties.

The funding package is positioned for a critical vote in the US House of Representatives.