Where funding talks stand as Congress careens toward partial shutdown
The federal government is expected to enter a partial shutdown starting Saturday after a Senate procedural vote to advance a funding package failed to clear the 60-vote threshold, with opposition from all democrats and several GOP defectors.Negotiations are continuing between Senate Democrats and the White House over limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, a response to recent deadly shootings and to Democratic demands that would curb parts of the administration’s deportation agenda.
Democrats want to separate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from other appropriations and seek a short-term DHS funding measure lasting a few weeks to allow further talks. Because the House already passed a GOP bill, any Senate changes would require the House to reconvene and reapprove the measure, so a brief partial shutdown is likely until Speaker Mike Johnson recalls members and a revised package passes.
Senate Democrats’ three core ICE demands are: end “roving patrols” and tighten warrant requirements while improving coordination with state and local law enforcement; create a uniform code of conduct and accountability similar to local police use-of-force rules; and prohibit masks for officers while requiring body cameras and visible identification. Some proposal details remain vague, giving Democrats negotiating leverage.
If funding lapses, agencies not yet funded—such as DHS, Labor, State, Defense (referred to in the article as War), Education, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and the Treasury (including the IRS)—would be affected. Agencies already funded, including SNAP benefits, Commerce, EPA, Veterans Affairs, Interior, Justice, Energy, NASA, and the Legislative Branch, would continue operating.
Where government funding talks stand as Congress careens toward partial shutdown
The federal government is expected to enter a partial shutdown starting Saturday, but it could be short-lived as Senate Democrats and the White House negotiate new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s sweeping deportation agenda.
A procedural vote to advance a funding package and avert a shutdown failed to clear a 60-vote filibuster in the Senate on Thursday, with opposition from a handful of GOP defectors and all Democrats. Meanwhile, talks continued on a spending deal in exchange for Democratic demands to limit the tactics of federal immigration officials after recent deadly shootings.
Here’s where things stand.
How and when does Congress plan to fund the government?
Democrats want to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement, from a broader spending bill for agencies not already funded this fiscal year. Roughly half have already been funded, which means any lapse in spending would create a partial shutdown.
Lawmakers and the White House are negotiating a short-term funding measure for DHS, likely only to last a few weeks, to include in the legislation so additional talks can occur on Democrats’ ICE demands without shuttering major swaths of the government.
But the legislation was already passed by the GOP-led House, which means any changes would require it to be reapproved by the lower chamber. The House does not return from recess until next week. Even with a deal in the Senate, a partial shutdown of several days is likely to occur until Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) recalls members and passes the funding legislation with the Senate’s modifications.
What changes to ICE do Democrats want?
Senate Democrats are making three overarching policy demands they say Congress must pass into law before they’ll approve any long-term DHS funding.
The first is for ICE and other federal immigration officers to “end roving patrols,” “tighten” warrant requirements, and mandate “ICE’s coordination with state and local law enforcement.”
The second is a “uniform code of conduct and accountability” that is similar to use-of-force rules for local police.
And the third is prohibiting the use of masks while requiring body cameras and carrying identification.
The vagueness of some of the proposals gives Democrats maximum leverage in their starting negotiating position to force Trump to pull back on mass deportation operations in Minnesota and elsewhere across the country. Questions remained over how Democrats want to change warrant requirements, such as whether they would seek to extend them beyond warrantless home raids to include any apprehensions of suspected illegal immigrants.
Which federal agencies will shutter in a partial shutdown?
Six of the 12 appropriations bills that comprise the annual budget have been passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump.
Those yet-to-be-funded departments that would shut down include the DHS, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, the Department of War, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of the Treasury, which includes the IRS.
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Other agencies and services already funded would remain operating, which include food stamps, the Department of Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Justice, the Department of Energy, and NASA.
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