Partial Government Shutdown Begins as Congress Splits DHS Funding From Broader Budget Deal

A partial federal government shutdown took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday after the Senate passed a revised package of government funding bills but the House, which is in recess until Monday, could not vote in time to send the legislation to President Donald Trump's desk.

The shutdown — widely expected to last only days — is vastly different from the record 43-day closure last fall that cost the U.S. economy an estimated $11 billion. This time, Congress has already funded half of this year's spending bills through September, ensuring that critical programs like SNAP nutrition assistance, WIC, and Social Security continue uninterrupted [1].

A Rare Bipartisan Deal

The Senate voted 71–29 late Friday to approve five outstanding funding bills covering most federal operations, in what observers called a rare display of bipartisan cooperation during the Trump administration. The breakthrough came after the White House struck a deal with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to separate Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader package [2].

"The nation is reaching a breaking point," Schumer said after the vote. "The American people are demanding that Congress step up and force change."

Under the agreement, DHS will receive a two-week stopgap extension at current funding levels while lawmakers negotiate new restrictions on how federal immigration agents operate.

The Minneapolis Shootings That Changed Everything

The funding standoff was triggered by the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens — Alex Pretti and Renée Good — by federal immigration agents in separate incidents this month in Minneapolis. The killings ignited bipartisan outrage and fundamentally altered the dynamics of the budget negotiations [3].

Democrats have demanded sweeping reforms as conditions for approving long-term DHS funding, including:

• An end to roving patrols by immigration enforcement agents
• Tighter rules around warrants and probable cause
• A uniform code of conduct for ICE officers
• Mandatory body cameras for federal agents
• A ban on agents wearing face coverings during operations

Republicans, while expressing willingness to consider some reforms, have countered with their own legislative priorities. Senator Lindsey Graham indicated openness to "making ICE more professional" but insisted that any deal must also address sanctuary city policies [2].

What's Affected — and What's Not

The funding lapse affects the Pentagon, the departments of Homeland Security and Transportation, and agencies like FEMA. Essential functions continue, but workers could go without pay if the impasse extends beyond Monday.

Air traffic controllers will still report for duty but without pay — raising the prospect of travel disruptions similar to those during last fall's extended shutdown. The State Department sent employees a 73-page memo detailing continuity plans, noting that passport and visa services will continue and that nearly 19,000 of its 27,000 employees are exempt from furlough [1].

Critically, FEMA retains approximately $7–8 billion in its disaster response fund — a significant detail as a major winter storm continues to batter large portions of the country [1].

What Comes Next

The House is expected to vote on the five-bill package when lawmakers return Monday, which would end the partial shutdown for most agencies. The real fight, however, begins immediately after: Congress will have just two weeks to negotiate long-term DHS funding under the stopgap extension.

If those negotiations fail, the government could face another, more consequential shutdown focused specifically on the department that oversees immigration enforcement — setting up what could become one of the most significant congressional battles over executive power in recent memory.