Partial government shutdown hits DHS after Dems blow up over immigration

The third government shutdown in less than six months officially began just after midnight Saturday after Democrats and Republicans spent recent weeks fighting over President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigrants.

As of midnight, only one area of ​​the government was left without federal funding: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Congress has completed roughly 97 percent of its annual government spending responsibilities, but a deal on DHS has remained elusive after Democrats withdrew from the initial bipartisan plan released last month.

DHS, the third-largest Cabinet agency with about 272,000 employees, will now see key areas of operations limited or completely halted. According to the department’s September 2025 government shutdown plan, approximately 90% of DHS employees will keep their jobs during funding terminations, and most will continue to work without pay.

Established in 2003 after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, DHS has jurisdiction over a wide range of agencies and offices. This includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Secret Service.

DHS SHUTDOWN AS JOHNSON SCHEDULES GOP DIVISION ON STOP SOLUTIONS

The unpaid workers will include 64,000 TSA agents and 56,000 active-duty, reserve and civilian Coast Guard personnel. These people and others are expected to receive back pay once the shutdown ends.

But as of Friday afternoon, the two parties don’t appear to be any closer to a deal, even though the Trump White House sent a possible compromise proposal Wednesday night.

“Our expectation is that we will respond to the unserious proposal that Republicans have made, which blatantly ignores things that need to happen,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said at a news conference.

“There are a variety of different areas where the administration is clearly incapable of doing things that would improve the situation for the American people. Unfortunately, until that happens, Donald Trump and the Republicans appear to have decided to shut down other parts of the Department of Homeland Security.”

NOEM SUPPORTS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BY CITTING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR REASONS’

Democrats blasted bipartisan negotiations over DHS funding last month after federal law enforcement killed two U.S. citizens during anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill on November 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

They are now demanding significant reforms to rein in ICE and CBP; Most Republicans in Congress have long been criticized as starters; They include banning ICE agents from wearing masks and requiring them to obtain judicial authorization before pursuing suspected illegal immigrants.

What happens next will be up to Senate Democrats and the White House, who are expected to continue negotiations over the weekend and into next week if necessary.

SCHUMER, JEFFRIES MIX CONFLICT, PRESENT UNITED FRONT ON DHS REFORMS AS DEADLINE NEARS

Both parties have exchanged proposals and legislation on a compromise DHS funding bill, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DY and his caucus have remained steadfast in their stance that the GOP’s proposal does not go far enough.

Meanwhile, the majority of House and Senate lawmakers left Washington on Thursday and are not currently expected to return until February 23.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.) said he would give lawmakers 24 hours’ notice to return to Washington, D.C., if there is a breakthrough, and remained optimistic there was a path forward despite the Democratic blockade.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DY) turns to his assistant during a press conference at the Capitol in Washington, June 3, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

“Every iteration of this is a step closer because I think the White House is increasingly giving space to some of these important issues,” Thune said. “But so far they are not getting any response from the Democrats, and they are even allowing us to continue this. [the] “Let the government remain open.”

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

But Democrats have repeatedly reiterated that they believe their demands are simple.

“Again, the single — fundamental question is whether ICE follows the same principles and policies of every other police force in the country, and if we can get there, we can solve the problem,” said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has given House lawmakers the OK to leave Washington with 48 hours’ notice to return to the pending Senate trial, two sources told Fox News Digital.