WASHINGTON — Democrats and the White House reached a tentative agreement Thursday to avert a partial U.S. government shutdown by splitting the Department of Homeland Security’s funding from a larger package of spending bills and extending DHS funding for two weeks at current levels, according to officials familiar with the talks. (Reuters)
The broader agreement would allow Congress to move ahead on five other appropriations bills intended to fund most federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year, while negotiators keep working on DHS policy disputes tied to immigration enforcement. (Reuters)
Why DHS became the flashpoint
Democrats have been withholding support for the DHS measure as they push for new limits and oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agents, after two fatal incidents involving federal agents in Minneapolis heightened political pressure for changes in enforcement tactics. (AP News)
Among the demands Democrats have outlined: ending “roving patrols,” tightening warrant rules, prohibiting agents from wearing masks, requiring body cameras, and adopting enforceable conduct standards with independent investigations. (AP News)
What happened in the Senate
The deal emerged after Senate Democrats blocked an earlier attempt to advance a package that included DHS funding; a key procedural vote failed 45–55. (AP News)
What happens next — and why a brief lapse is still possible
Even with a deal in place, timing and procedure remain major hurdles. The House is not scheduled to return until Monday, raising the possibility that funding could briefly lapse before both chambers can approve the revised plan. (The Guardian)
House Speaker Mike Johnson has acknowledged that a short shutdown scenario could be hard to avoid if final action slips past the deadline. (The Guardian)
What’s in the larger spending package
The package under discussion covers most discretionary federal spending, including funding for major departments such as Defense, Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, and State. (The Washington Post)
