By Ginika Igboke
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he is confident the House of Representatives will act quickly to end the partial federal government shutdown that began on Jan. 31 after Congress failed to pass a funding measure before the deadline.
“I’m confident that we’ll do it at least by Feb. 3,” Johnson said during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press on Feb. 1. He noted that the main obstacle has been logistical, pointing to recent winter storms that disrupted travel, knocked out power in some areas, and canceled thousands of flights, making it difficult to bring lawmakers back to Washington.
Johnson said discussions with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) suggest Republicans may need to move forward largely on their own to pass the necessary procedural steps to advance the funding package, calling the situation “very unfortunate.”
Following action by the Senate over the weekend, Johnson said Congress has now approved 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills. However, he explained that changes made by the Senate to the House’s original package require the legislation to return to the lower chamber for further consideration.
The partial shutdown took effect after the Senate passed a spending package on Jan. 30 but the House, which was not in session, did not act in time. Johnson said the House’s immediate goal is to fund all federal agencies except the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by Feb. 3.
“Then we will have two weeks of good-faith negotiations to figure it out,” Johnson said, referring to DHS funding.
DHS Funding at Center of Dispute
DHS, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other agencies, has become the focal point of the standoff. Democrats are pushing for changes to ICE operations, including mandatory use of body cameras, an end to roving patrols, and restrictions on agents wearing face masks during enforcement actions.
Some Democrats have said they are unwilling to support continued ICE funding following two fatal shootings in Minneapolis last month involving clashes between protesters and federal agents.
“I just don’t see how, in good conscience, Democrats can vote for continuing ICE funding after the shootings,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said during the same Meet the Press broadcast.
Johnson acknowledged that the Trump administration may be open to adjusting certain DHS practices but said allowing ICE agents to continue wearing masks is likely non-negotiable.
“There have been tragedies in Minnesota, and in Minneapolis in particular, brought about in large measure by the circumstances on the ground,” Johnson said. He argued that ICE agents have increasingly been targeted, doxxed, and threatened, making identity protection necessary.
“The reason ICE agents wear masks is to protect themselves and their families,” he said, adding that in some cases agents have effectively had bounties placed on them by local officials. “That’s what’s created the dangerous conditions.”
Rising Attacks on ICE Agents
In multiple statements, DHS has warned that violence against ICE personnel has surged in recent months as the Trump administration has intensified efforts to deport illegal immigrants, particularly those with violent criminal records.
According to DHS, assaults on ICE agents have increased by 1,300 percent, death threats by 8,000 percent, and vehicular attacks by 3,200 percent. In one of the Minneapolis incidents, video footage showed a protester, later identified as Renee Good, striking an ICE agent with her vehicle while attempting to flee. The agent responded by firing his weapon, killing her.
DHS has also pointed to a separate incident in October 2025, when a gunman armed with a rifle opened fire at an ICE office in Dallas, killing at least two people before taking his own life.
The current funding lapse comes just weeks after the longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended in mid-November 2025, heightening concerns among lawmakers and federal agencies about the potential consequences of another prolonged disruption.