WASHINGTON — The U.S. government entered a temporary shutdown early Saturday after Congress failed to enact funding legislation by a midnight deadline, even though the Senate approved a stopgap spending package.
The Senate voted 71-29 late Friday to pass funding measures, including five long-term spending bills and a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, to allow for further negotiations on immigration enforcement. But the package still needs House approval and is not scheduled to return to Washington until Monday.
The closure comes in the wake of heightened political tensions over immigration policy. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would not support the policy unless the provision funding DHS was removed, citing concerns after the fatal shooting of American Alex Preti by a federal immigration agent in Minnesota, the second killing by immigration agents this month.
If the House passes the bill early next week, disruption is expected to be limited. Lawmakers from both parties have shown little appetite for a longer shutdown like the 43-day shutdown late last year.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats will review the Senate-passed bill before deciding on next steps.
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“The Trump administration must chart an ironclad path to dramatically reform ICE and other Department of Homeland Security agencies that the American people perceive to have become lawless and overbearing,” Jeffries said in a statement, adding that action should be taken before Congress reconvenes Monday evening.
On Friday, Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed affected federal agencies to begin implementing orderly closure procedures. Government agencies facing funding shortages include the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State, Treasury, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.
“As it becomes clear that Congress will not be able to complete the work by the appropriations deadline, affected agencies should implement plans for an orderly shutdown,” Vought said in the memo, instructing employees to report for their next scheduled assignment to carry out shutdown activities.
Vought added that the Trump administration will continue to work with Congress to resolve outstanding issues and complete fiscal year 2026 spending.
