The United States government is once again close to a partial shutdown. Democrats and Republicans in Congress are arguing over DHS funding. The fight has intensified after two deadly shootings involving federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
A deadline, a budget fight over DHS funding, and rising tension
Congress is rushing to pass a large spending bill that would fund key parts of the government, including defense, health, transportation, education, housing, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through September 30. The programs will lose funding after midnight Friday, and if lawmakers do not reach an agreement, many federal offices could close and thousands of employees could be furloughed.
Senate Democrats refuse to support the DHS portion of the package unless Congress separates it from the larger bill and includes reforms. Their opposition grew after federal immigration officers fatally shot 37‑year‑old Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, in Minneapolis during an enforcement operation — the second such deadly incident in the city this month.
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Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said his party will quickly pass the other funding bills but won’t back DHS funding without changes. Republicans, who control the Senate, disagree and have put the full spending package on the calendar for a vote. The White House supports passing the entire bill to avoid a shutdown and maintain government services.
The Minneapolis shootings and calls for reform
The debate over funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shifted sharply after federal immigration agents in Minneapolis shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, during a large enforcement operation ordered by President Donald Trump. His death came just weeks after another U.S. citizen was also killed in a similar incident in the same city, raising serious concerns about how these operations are being carried out.
President Trump has deployed thousands of armed and masked agents to Minneapolis as part of a major deportation drive aimed at removing people who are in the country illegally. While the administration says the operations are necessary for public safety, the scale and aggressive style of the action have alarmed many people, especially after two deadly encounters involving U.S. citizens.
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Several Democrats in Congress now say they cannot support more money for DHS without clear reforms. Senator Jeanne Shaheen said she will vote against the DHS budget until new safety rules are in place and has called for an independent investigation. Senator John Fetterman also said Congress should separate the DHS bill from the wider funding package, even though this action could increase the risk of a government shutdown.
Republicans argue that blocking DHS funding would hurt many important services beyond immigration enforcement. Senator Susan Collins said most of the DHS budget pays for disaster relief, cybersecurity, air safety, and the Coast Guard, and warned that stopping the funding could damage services Americans rely on every day.
What a shutdown would affect right now
If Congress does not pass the funding package before the deadline, parts of the federal government will shut down. This would come only three months after the country emerged from the longest shutdown in U.S. history, which ended in November. That shutdown caused major disruption, closed public services, and put many federal workers under financial stress.
Another shutdown could once again close national parks, delay government services, and force many employees to work without pay or stay home.
The courts are also warning about money problems. Judge Robert Conrad, who leads the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, said in a memo that the courts only have enough cash on hand to fully operate through February 4 if new funding is not approved. After that, even the judicial system could start to feel the impact.
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Senator Collins said she hopes lawmakers can work together to avoid what she called a dangerous and harmful shutdown.
The House of Representatives has already passed the full funding package, so the main battle is now in the Senate. For the moment, the situation remains tense. Democrats say they cannot ignore the deadly shootings and want changes before approving DHS funding. Republicans and the White House say the full bill must pass to keep the government running.
As the deadline gets closer, the argument over DHS funding and the tragic events in Minneapolis continue to drive one of the most serious political standoffs in Washington right now.