BY MIRABEL ODETA
The likelihood of a partial U.S. government shutdown increased on Friday after fresh obstacles emerged in the Senate, casting doubt on a bipartisan agreement intended to keep federal agencies funded past a looming midnight deadline.
The proposed deal, announced earlier by Senate Democrats alongside President Donald Trump, was designed to prevent interruptions to a broad range of government operations, including defense, labor, and health programs. Under the arrangement, lawmakers would pass a temporary spending measure while continuing negotiations over stricter limits on the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies.
Momentum behind the agreement faltered late Thursday, however, when several senators raised objections, delaying action as the clock continued to tick. The Senate was scheduled to reconvene at 11 a.m. Eastern time, with current funding set to expire just hours later at midnight, leaving little room for further delay.
Even if the Senate manages to pass the measure, the path forward remains uncertain. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is out of session this week, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said it would be difficult to recall lawmakers to Washington in time to approve the bill before the deadline. Without action from both chambers, large parts of the federal government could be forced to shut down temporarily.
A key feature of the agreement is the separation of funding for the Department of Homeland Security from the broader spending package. Supporters say this move is intended to shield agencies such as the Pentagon and the Department of Labor from becoming collateral damage in the bitter debate over immigration enforcement. Under the proposal, DHS would receive a short-term funding extension of two weeks, allowing negotiators additional time to hammer out new rules governing immigration operations.
Tensions around the deal have been inflamed by recent violence linked to federal immigration enforcement. Senate Democrats have expressed outrage following the fatal shooting of a second U.S. citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis last weekend. In response, some Democrats had threatened to block the broader funding package unless the administration agreed to rein in DHS operations.
Lawmakers pushing for changes are demanding new restrictions on federal immigration agents, including an end to roving patrols, a ban on the use of face masks during operations, and mandatory use of body cameras. They argue such measures are necessary to restore public trust and prevent further loss of life.
Public anger intensified after the shooting death of nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday. Pretti, who had no criminal record, was killed by federal agents, marking the second such death of a U.S. citizen this month involving immigration enforcement. The incident sparked widespread outrage and prompted the Trump administration to scale back operations in the Minneapolis area.
As the political fallout continued, attention also turned to the arrest of former CNN anchor Don Lemon, a development that further underscored the volatility surrounding the immigration crackdown. Lemon was arrested on Friday in connection with a protest earlier this month that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to officials familiar with the case, Lemon livestreamed the demonstration, which was aimed at protesting the administration’s immigration policies in the region. Authorities allege that the protest interfered with religious worship, leading to charges that include conspiracy to deprive others of their civil rights and violations of the FACE Act, a federal law that prohibits obstructing access to places of worship and abortion clinics.
FBI and Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested Lemon in Los Angeles. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, condemned the arrest, calling it an unprecedented assault on free speech protections and the First Amendment. Lemon has maintained that he was present at the protest in his capacity as a journalist, saying he had advance notice of the demonstration but did not expect activists to interrupt the church service.
Video from the event shows Lemon arguing with a parishioner over immigration enforcement, a moment that administration officials later seized upon as evidence of intimidation. The Trump administration swiftly denounced the protest, accusing participants of harassing Christian worshippers.
Three other individuals were also arrested and charged under the FACE Act. However, earlier this month, a U.S. judge declined to approve Lemon’s arrest, citing insufficient evidence at the time. The Justice Department has not yet responded publicly to requests for comment on the latest developments.
Lemon spent 17 years at CNN and rose to become one of the network’s most recognizable figures. He was fired in 2023 following on-air remarks about women and then–Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley that were widely criticized as sexist, comments for which he later apologized.
With political tensions escalating, negotiations stalled, and the funding deadline rapidly approaching, Washington now faces the real possibility of another disruptive government shutdown, one driven as much by immigration policy disputes as by deepening partisan divides.
Original article
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