Funding for several US government departments lapsed on Saturday after Democratic senators refused to vote for a bill authorising continued spending by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The standoff follows the killings of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis, which have sparked demands for new restrictions on immigration enforcement.
Alex Pretti was killed last week and Renee Good earlier in January during operations linked to President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign. Democrats are now demanding that the DHS funding bill include measures to ban officers from wearing masks, require body cameras, enforce a code of conduct, establish independent investigations into alleged violations, and prohibit roving patrols that target suspected unlawful immigrants.
The Senate passed a package of five measures to fund other departments through September, along with a two-week extension for DHS. However, the House of Representatives must approve the legislation, with Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledging the possibility of a short shutdown. The Office of Management and Budget has directed affected agencies—including defence, homeland security, labour, health, education, transportation, housing, and state—to prepare for an orderly shutdown.
The broader funding package faces an uncertain path in the House, where Republicans hold a narrow majority. Rightwing lawmakers are pushing for the inclusion of the Save Act, which would impose voter identification requirements. Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations are unlikely to be halted due to existing funds and the ability to mandate work during a shutdown.
