The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been partially shut down since Feb. 14 because of lawmakers’ disagreement on a reformation bill. The disagreement regards U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection reforms. The reforms were proposed because of the recent fatal shootings by ICE agents in January. In a 51 to 46 vote, the Senate failed to move forward with the reforms.
Although 51 lawmakers were in favor, 60 votes were required for the bill to pass the Senate. This shortcoming caused some DHS agencies to experience a partial shutdown.
All but one Democrat — Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania — voted no. Democrats have opposed funding DHS without reform due to the shootings involving Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal agents earlier this year. According to CNBC, Democrats’ main arguments involve changes to ICE, such as requiring agents to wear body cameras, prohibiting agents from wearing masks and requiring judicial warrants to search homes. Republicans have pushed back on banning masks and requiring warrants.
Republicans proposed an offer to the Democrats, who have not publicly responded yet.
“Democrats need to make a move to end the shutdown before more Americans are harmed by a lack of funding for critical services like disaster relief,” a White House official told Politico.
Both sides are currently trying to pass measures to fund the affected DHS departments. However, the parties keep blocking each other’s offers, and nothing is advancing.
“We all know that we do not have agreement on how to deal with ICE,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “We don’t have to tie that disagreement up and use people at the airports and American citizens as hostages.”
While both parties keep going back and forth, federal DHS workers have not received pay due to the shutdown; this includes the Transportation Security Administration workers, who are considered essential workers. With the shutdown lasting almost a month, there is a high amount of staff shortages.
Other departments that are being affected by the shutdown include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, ICE and CBP. The Coast Guard and CISA have both halted most of their missions and are working in a reduced state. According to NPR, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said immigration operations are unlikely to feel repercussions from the shutdown. Last summer, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which left ICE and CBP about $85 billion.
Lawmakers from both parties say that the DHS shutdown negotiations are nowhere near a breakthrough. Several proposals have been introduced to the Senate in recent weeks, although none have received enough votes to move forward. Until a funding bill receives enough votes to pass the Senate, agencies will continue operating under limited funding, and some employees will work without pay.
