A partial shutdown of the U.S. government began Saturday after Congress failed to approve continued funding for the Department of Homeland Security, following a political standoff tied to federal immigration enforcement and recent fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis.
Funding expired for several federal departments after Democratic senators declined to support legislation extending DHS spending authority. The opposition followed the deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis — Alex Pretti, who was killed last week, and Renee Good, who was killed earlier in January — both during encounters involving federal officers.
Democrats said they would not vote to authorize continued DHS funding without new restrictions on federal agents engaged in immigration enforcement operations. The dispute disrupted a broader Republican-backed effort to pass a package of funding measures for multiple government departments before the spending deadline passed late Friday.
On Friday, the Senate approved five bills to fund various government agencies through September, along with a short-term measure extending DHS funding for two weeks. The legislation now awaits action in the House of Representatives, which is expected to reconvene on Monday.
The immediate effects of the shutdown are expected to be limited, with most impacts likely to begin Monday, the first full business day under the lapse. In addition to DHS, full-year funding has not yet been finalized for the departments of Defense, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.
President Donald Trump has indicated he would sign the funding package once it reaches his desk.
In a memo issued Friday, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought instructed affected agencies to begin implementing shutdown procedures. He directed departments including Homeland Security, Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, State, and other national security agencies to execute plans for an orderly shutdown.
“The Administration will continue working with Congress to address recently raised concerns and complete appropriations for fiscal year 2026,” Vought wrote, adding that the administration hopes the funding lapse will be brief.
Senate Democratic leaders have outlined a list of conditions they want included in any DHS funding bill. These include prohibiting federal officers from wearing masks during operations, requiring the use of body cameras, enforcing a formal code of conduct, mandating independent investigations into alleged violations, and banning “roving patrols,” in which agents stop individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully.
“These are basic standards the American people already expect from law enforcement,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Friday.
Negotiations over potential changes to DHS oversight and enforcement rules are expected to continue over the next two weeks.
The fate of the broader funding package remains uncertain in the Republican-controlled House. Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged this week that a short shutdown was possible before lawmakers return to Washington.
“The House is going to do its job,” Johnson said. “We want to get the government funded, as does the president.”
Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in the House, controlling 218 seats to the Democrats’ 213. Some conservative lawmakers have insisted that any funding legislation be paired with the SAVE Act, which would impose new voter identification requirements. Critics argue the proposal could disenfranchise eligible voters, potentially complicating passage of the spending bills.
Despite the funding lapse, Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations are expected to continue. ICE received significant funding through prior legislation passed last year, and the administration has the authority to require certain employees to continue working during a shutdown.
The current shutdown follows a 43-day government funding lapse that began in October, triggered by a separate dispute over healthcare subsidies. That shutdown ended after a bipartisan agreement promised a vote on extending tax credits that lowered premiums for Affordable Care Act plans. The measure later failed, and the subsidies expired at the end of 2025.