Lawmakers and the White House offered no signs of compromise Sunday as a partial government shutdown entered its second day, driven by a bitter standoff over oversight of federal immigration officers and funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
The shutdown began Saturday after congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump’s administration failed to reach an agreement on legislation to keep DHS funded through September. Democrats are pressing for new rules governing immigration operations following the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal officers in Minneapolis last month.
With Congress in recess until Feb. 23, both sides appear firmly entrenched. The lapse in funding affects a wide range of agencies housed under DHS, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection.
While many DHS functions continue, the shutdown is expected to strain workers and services. About 90% of DHS employees are continuing to report to work but are doing so without pay, raising concerns about financial hardship if the stalemate persists. Last year’s shutdown stretched a record 43 days.
Immigration enforcement operations, however, are expected to continue largely uninterrupted. Trump’s 2025 tax and spending cut law provided billions of additional dollars to ICE and CBP that can be tapped for deportation efforts even during the funding lapse.
At the heart of the dispute are Democratic demands for greater transparency and accountability in immigration raids. Proposed changes include requiring officers to clearly identify themselves, remove masks, display unique ID numbers, wear body cameras, and obtain judicial warrants before making arrests on private property.
White House border czar Tom Homan said the administration would not accept requirements forcing officers to remove masks or identify themselves more clearly, arguing agents must be able to protect themselves during operations.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., countered that Democrats are asking immigration officers to follow standards common across law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Republicans have signaled some openness to limited reforms. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said he could support equipping officers with body cameras and strengthening training, but opposed demands that would require agents to remove masks, citing concerns about harassment and doxing of officers’ families.
Source: CNBC