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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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The partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government is likely to continue into this week as Democrats and Republicans continue clashing on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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While a funding bill was previously agreed earlier by the House this month, Democrats have since pushed for reform of DHS following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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On Saturday Senators agreed to a "minibus" funding deal covering multiple bills to fund various departments and agencies until September, but the government partially shutdown because the deal has to be approved again by the House of Representatives, which was on recess until Monday.
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
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Why It Matters
The partial shutdown affects several large agencies, grinding some federal services to a halt and leaving workers furloughed or asked to work unpaid.
Affected agencies include the Departments of Defense, Education, Financial Services, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Transportation as well as related agencies and programs.
Given it is expect to be brief, its impact won't be too far reaching and workers will receive backpay after the shutdown ends.
What To Know
The shutdown comes after Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was shot dead by federal agents in Minnesota on January 24, during an immigration enforcement operation. His killing was the second fatal shooting by a federal immigration officer in the city this month, following the January 7 death of Good, who was shot by an ICE agent on January 7.
On Friday, the Senate voted 71-29 to fund most of the government though the end of September, while temporarily funding DHS for two weeks.
The bill will now have to pass through the House Rules Committee then it will be taken to the floor for a vote. The package needs a simple majority to pass and given the GOP has a majority in Congress it will likely pass.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told Fox News Sunday: "We'll get this done by Tuesday, I'm convinced."
"I don’t understand why anybody would have a problem with this, though," he added. "Remember, these are the bills that have already been passed. We’re going to do it again. It’s a formality at this point."
But some House Democrats have indicated they won't back the measure and given the GOP's majority is slim, there could be stumbling blocks along the way.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told MSNOW: "We need a full and complete debate, and what I've made clear to House Republicans is that they cannot simply move forward with legislation taking a 'my way or the highway' approach."
Ro Khanna, a California Democrat told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday: "I'm a firm no. I hope my colleagues will say no."
Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin tod CNN he would support a short-term funding bill but added: "The devil is in the details. We want to see everything that's in there."
According to betting platform Polymarket, there is a 98 percent chance that the government shutdown will last for more than four days. There is a 46 percent chance it will continue for five days and a 20 percent chance it will last for more than six days.
Speaking to Newsweek, Mark Shanahan who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K. "In the end this will come down to House Republicans getting one more member back to Washington than the Democrats. The GOP majority required to pass the minibus legislation into law is wafer thin, and the Democrats are still not minded to approve DHS funding unless they get significant changes in ICE protocols in the wake of the agency's overreach in Minneapolis. The ongoing severe weather is hampering House members' return to D.C, so we're unlikely to see a vote until Tuesday. Pretty much everybody wants a deal, but the Democrats learned last year that they will lose all leverage on how the administration manages its anti illegal immigration surges if they cave too soon."
What People Are Saying
Russ Vought, the director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, said in Friday’s memo: "The Administration will continue working with the Congress to address recently raised concerns to complete appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026. It is our hope that this lapse will be short."
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday: "America is setting Records in every way, and our Growth Numbers are among the best ever. The only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown. I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before). Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan "YES" Vote. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP."
What Happens Next
When the deal is passed by the House, Democrats will continue to negotiate reforms to DHS and ICE.
Senate minority Leader Chuck Schumer has outlined proposals to overhaul ICE, including making a requirement for federal agents to coordinate immigration arrests with local law enforcement, ending so-called roving patrols in cities, wearing visible identification, keeping body cameras activated and following a code of conduct that allows for accountability when rules are violated.
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