The United States is edging closer to a federal government shutdown after the US Senate failed to pass a bill funding six federal departments, amid strong opposition from Democrats who are demanding stricter rules governing immigration enforcement in exchange for their support.
Funding for several federal departments is set to expire at midnight on Friday, raising the prospect that parts of the federal government will be forced to suspend operations if no agreement is reached in time. Among the departments affected is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Democrats Withhold Support Over ICE Policy
The budget bill had already been approved by the United States House of Representatives and was initially expected to pass the Senate without difficulty. However, developments in Minneapolis shifted the political landscape.
Several senators called for restrictions on the operation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the killing of Alex Preti, a 37-year-old nurse, by agents during protests. Democratic senators have stated they will not vote for any budget covering DHS unless the Donald Trump administration revises its policy on immigration enforcement.
“What ICE is doing, outside the legal framework, amounts to state-backed brutality, and it must stop,” said Chuck Schumer, leader of the Democratic minority in the Senate. “This is not America,” he added, referring to ICE agents as “thugs roaming our streets.”
60 Votes Required in the Senate
Under Senate rules, 60 votes out of 100 are required to pass a budget bill. While Republicans hold a majority in the Senate, they still need the backing of several Democratic senators to reach the required threshold.
Democrats have said they are prepared to approve five of the six funding sections included in the bill, but not the chapter concerning DHS. They are calling for the DHS funding to be separated so that proposed reforms can be debated.
However, because the House of Representatives approved all six sections as a single bill, any attempt to split them would require the House to vote again on a revised text. This procedural hurdle makes a temporary shutdown likely if no deal is reached before the deadline.
If such a shutdown occurs, it is expected to be short-lived, according to congressional sources.
Trump Signals Hope for Compromise
Speaking to reporters during a Cabinet meeting on Friday, President Trump said he hopes a compromise can still be reached to avoid a prolonged shutdown.
“I believe we are quite close” to an agreement, he said.
Past Shutdown Disruptions
The longest government shutdown in US history occurred in the autumn, when Republicans and Democrats remained deadlocked for 43 days over healthcare funding. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees were furloughed, while others in essential services — including air traffic controllers, police officers, and military personnel — continued working without pay.
Wages were paid retroactively once the shutdown ended. However, benefit payments were disrupted and tens of thousands of flights were cancelled, as some air traffic controllers chose to call in sick rather than work unpaid.