Shutdown Standoff Deepens as Congress Delays Funding Vote Amid Clash Over Immigration Enforcement

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday that it will take several more days before lawmakers vote on a government funding package, signaling that a partial federal shutdown will extend into the coming week as Democrats and Republicans remain locked in a bitter dispute over the scope of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations.

Johnson said the White House is playing a central role in shaping the legislative path forward, and he made clear that he is relying heavily on President Donald Trump to help secure passage of the funding measure. Trump has sought to calm mounting political pressure by backing a short-term approach after a wave of public outrage followed the fatal shooting of two people during protests in Minneapolis against Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

Under a deal brokered between the White House and Senate leaders, funding for the Department of Homeland Security was pulled out of a broader government funding bill. The Senate approved the stand-alone measure late Friday, temporarily financing DHS for two weeks and setting a new deadline for Congress to debate potential limits on ICE operations.

“The president is leading this,” Johnson said in a televised interview, describing the strategy as Trump’s decision and noting that the president has already acknowledged the need to reduce the intensity of federal immigration actions. Johnson said Trump wants to “turn down the volume” while lawmakers work toward a longer-term agreement.

The speaker now faces a difficult legislative road in the House, where Republicans hold only a narrow majority and Democrats are refusing to provide the votes needed to fast-track the bill. Democratic leaders argue that the Senate-passed package falls far short of what is required to rein in what they describe as aggressive and unaccountable immigration enforcement.

While the bill includes $20 million for body cameras for immigration agents, Democrats are demanding broader changes. They want federal agents to be required to remove masks and clearly identify themselves, to end roving patrols, and to impose additional safeguards on enforcement operations that they say have alarmed communities across the country.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Department of Homeland Security needs sweeping reforms and warned that waiting two weeks to negotiate would only prolong uncertainty and public anger. He argued that talks over enforcement changes should begin immediately.

“Masks should come off,” Jeffries said in a Sunday interview. He added that judicial warrants should be required before agents conduct operations such as entering homes or detaining people in vehicles, saying such actions must be consistent with constitutional protections.

The standoff is forcing Johnson to rely almost exclusively on Republican votes to move the legislation through a series of procedural hurdles. He said the bill would first be considered in committee on Monday, with a potential House floor vote unlikely before Tuesday at the earliest. House Democrats planned to hold a private caucus call Sunday evening to determine their next steps.

As the political fight drags on, the partial government shutdown that began over the weekend is affecting a range of federal agencies. Departments including defense, health, transportation and housing have issued shutdown guidance, though many services are considered essential and continue to operate. Still, federal workers face delayed pay, and some employees could be furloughed if the impasse is not resolved quickly.

The shutdown marks the second major disruption to federal operations in recent months, underscoring how Congress has increasingly used the annual funding process as leverage to force policy concessions. Last fall, a shutdown stretched to 43 days as Democrats pressed unsuccessfully to extend health insurance tax credits, a stalemate that ended without the promised legislative action and led to higher insurance premiums for millions of Americans.

This time, the Trump administration has signaled it wants a faster resolution. Johnson said he was present in the Oval Office last week when Trump and border czar Tom Homan spoke directly with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to hammer out the framework for the temporary DHS funding deal.

“I think we’re on the path to get agreement,” Johnson said, adding that areas such as expanded use of body cameras and potentially ending roving patrols could form the basis of a compromise.

However, Johnson drew a firm line against Democratic demands that agents remove masks and display their names. He argued that such requirements could put officers at risk, particularly amid protests where personal information about agents has been posted online.

“I don’t think the president would approve it,” Johnson said, adding that he believes such measures would endanger law enforcement personnel.

Democrats counter that the situation has reached a breaking point in cities such as Minneapolis, where they say immigration operations have become chaotic and harmful. Some lawmakers are calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be dismissed or impeached, accusing her department of failing to maintain accountability.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a leading Democratic voice in the negotiations, described the situation as a national emergency and accused ICE of undermining public safety rather than enhancing it.

“What is happening right now is a dystopia,” Murphy said, arguing that the coming weeks must be focused on curbing what he called a lawless and immoral approach to immigration enforcement.

With neither side showing signs of backing down, lawmakers appear headed for several more days of shutdown, leaving federal workers, affected communities and financial markets watching closely for any sign of a breakthrough.