The United States entered a partial federal government shutdown at midnight on Friday, Washington time (07:00 Cyprus time), though hopes remain that the impasse will be resolved quickly with a scheduled congressional vote on Monday.
Three months after the longest shutdown in US history, this partial halt is linked to Democrats’ refusal to approve a budget for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without new restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the recent deaths of two individuals in Minneapolis involving federal agents.
Employees furloughed
Earlier on Friday, the Senate passed a budget plan expected to keep the shutdown brief. The House of Representatives is now anticipated to approve the measure at the start of the week, ending the partial closure.
As a result, the effects are expected to be minimal, with few federal employees furloughed over the weekend.
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructed agencies on Friday evening to prepare shutdown contingency plans but expressed optimism that the closure would be short.
The Senate-approved measure, passed 71–29, reflects an agreement between President Donald Trump and Democratic senators. Democrats agreed to five of the six components of the plan, while DHS funding will remain under negotiation over the next two weeks.