A partial government shutdown is underway as President Trump urges the House to pass a federal funding package. Democrats are blocking it, demanding significant changes to immigration enforcement operations, while some Republicans also have their own demands, creating a legislative stalemate.
The U.S. government is experiencing a partial shutdown, now in its fourth day, as President Donald Trump's brokered funding package faces a legislative deadlock in the House. Trump is pressuring both Republicans and Democrats to approve the Senate-passed package without delay to reopen agencies like the Pentagon and Homeland Security, whose funding lapsed. However, House Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, are refusing to provide the necessary votes. They are leveraging the situation to demand immediate and substantial changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, including requiring agents to unmask, use judicial warrants instead of administrative ones, and end roving patrols, especially following recent incidents in Minneapolis. While the bill already includes $20 million for body cameras, Democrats are pushing for more. On the Republican side, House Speaker Mike Johnson is struggling with his slim majority, as some Republicans, particularly the House Freedom Caucus, have their own demands, such as fuller funding for Homeland Security or previously, the inclusion of the SAVE Act (which was dropped by Rep. Luna after meeting Trump). The Senate had already overwhelmingly approved the package, which temporarily funds Homeland Security until February 13 to allow for further debate on immigration enforcement. The ongoing stalemate means many federal workers face potential furloughs or going without pay, and concerns are rising about the impact on critical agencies like FEMA. Negotiations are anticipated, with body cameras and ending roving patrols identified as potential areas of compromise, but other Democratic demands like unmasking agents and judicial warrants face strong Republican opposition. This marks the second government disruption in months, highlighting ongoing partisan battles over policy changes tied to the annual funding process.
