By Ginika Igboke
Lawmakers will not return to Capitol Hill on Feb. 13 for legislative business as the federal government faces the prospect of a partial shutdown affecting funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
With no agreement in sight, senators left Washington after final votes on Feb. 12 and are not scheduled to return until Feb. 23. DHS funding is set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said a deal is “not close,” despite two weeks of negotiations between Democrats and Republicans. A lapse in funding would trigger at least a 10-day shutdown, affecting major DHS components including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).
Earlier this month, Congress finalized funding for 96 percent of the federal government through Sept. 30. DHS funding was extended only through Feb. 13, prompting immediate negotiations over a separate bill for the agency. Democrats have pushed for sweeping changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration enforcement agencies as a condition for supporting the measure.
Talks have stalled, with no agreement reached on the proposed reforms.
On Feb. 12, the Senate rejected a last-minute effort to provide full-year funding for DHS. The measure failed 52–47, short of the 60 votes required. All Democrats except Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted against it, while Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) did not vote.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Democrats would oppose the bill, arguing it lacked oversight of ICE operations.
“The Republican bill on the floor allows ICE to smash in doors without warrants, to wear masks and not be identified, to use children as bait for their parents, no oversight,” Schumer said in a video posted to X. “We are keeping our word: No funding for ICE until it is reined in; no funding until the violence ends.”
Democrats also blocked an attempt by Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) to extend DHS funding for two weeks. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) objected to the unanimous consent request.
Tensions escalated after two American citizens, protestors Renée Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Following the incident, Schumer said Democrats would not support DHS funding without immigration enforcement reforms.
Although ICE is central to the dispute, its operations are expected to continue largely unaffected. Last year, Republicans approved $75 billion in funding for ICE over four years, allowing the agency to operate independently of broader DHS appropriations. Most ICE agents are classified as essential personnel and would continue working during a shutdown.
Other DHS agencies would face more significant disruption. The TSA would continue operating with essential staff, including airport security officers required to report to work. However, shutdowns typically lead to higher absenteeism among unpaid TSA employees, potentially causing longer security lines and wait times.
FEMA, which coordinates federal disaster response, would also be affected. While the agency maintains a $7 billion contingency fund, officials have warned that a prolonged shutdown combined with a major disaster could strain those resources.
Original article
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