The United States government entered a partial shutdown on Saturday after Congress missed the midnight deadline to approve the 2026 budget, though officials expected disruptions to be limited, with the House slated to consider a Senate-backed funding deal early next week.
The lapse in funding came after negotiations faltered over Democratic outrage at the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents. This dispute blocked agreement on new allocations for the Department of Homeland Security.
“Instead of going after drug smugglers, child predators, and human traffickers, the Trump Administration is wasting valuable resources targeting peaceful protestors in Chicago and Minneapolis,” Senate Democratic Minority Whip Dick Durbin wrote on social media.
“This Administration continues to make Americans less safe.”
Approximately 75% of federal operations were affected, raising the possibility of shutdown procedures impacting agencies spanning education, health, housing, and defense.
Federal departments were expected to begin implementing contingency plans overnight, though congressional leaders from both parties indicated that the Senate’s action made a short-term disruption more likely than a prolonged impasse.
If the House approves the package as anticipated early next week, funding would be restored within days, minimizing the practical impact on government services, contractors, and federal employees.
However, a longer shutdown could leave tens of thousands of federal workers either on unpaid leave or working without pay until Congress restores funding.
Late Friday, the Senate passed a package covering five outstanding funding bills for most federal agencies through September, alongside a two-week stopgap measure for DHS while negotiations continue over immigration enforcement policy.
The House was out of session as the funding deadline expired and is not expected to reconvene until Monday.
President Donald Trump endorsed the Senate deal and urged the House to act quickly, signaling his desire to avoid a prolonged shutdown, the second of his second term, after a record-length stoppage last fall halted federal services for over a month.
The Senate breakthrough followed Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina lifting a procedural block that had stalled the package late Thursday.
Graham had objected to provisions in the DHS stopgap and language in a House-passed bill that repealed an earlier measure allowing senators to sue the Justice Department over past phone-record seizures.
He agreed to release his hold after Senate leaders promised future votes on legislation he sponsors to target “sanctuary cities” that refuse to cooperate with federal deportation operations.
Democrats, meanwhile, have stood firm against approving new DHS funding without reforms to immigration enforcement, citing the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Their deaths heightened scrutiny of federal agents and reinforced opposition to funding immigration agencies without new safeguards. Party leaders have called for reforms including stricter warrant requirements, limits on certain enforcement tactics, and increased accountability for agents in the field.
Many U.S. media outlets interpreted the White House’s decision to separate DHS funding from the broader budget package as an acknowledgment that the administration needed to rethink its deportation strategy following political backlash over the Minneapolis incidents.
Republicans remain divided on this approach. Some acknowledge the need for change after the shootings, while conservatives warn against concessions they say could weaken immigration enforcement.
Several have indicated plans to push their priorities in upcoming DHS negotiations, including targeting states and cities that limit cooperation with federal authorities.
While six of the 12 annual funding bills have already been approved by Congress, they cover only a portion of discretionary spending. The remaining bills fund major parts of the federal government, meaning a prolonged lapse could have significant consequences.
The Office of Management and Budget issued a memo Friday night directing agencies to prepare for an “orderly shutdown,” stating, “It is our hope that this lapse will be short.”
