Federal Government Enters Partial Shutdown After House Democrats Reject DHS Funding Deal

Shutdown Expected to Last at Least Through Tuesday as Budget Impasse Deepens.

The U.S. federal government entered a partial shutdown over the weekend after House Democrats refused to advance a bipartisan Senate agreement that would have funded the Department of Homeland Security and a handful of other agencies.

The impasse has triggered an immediate halt to operations at several federal departments and agencies, with furloughs affecting thousands of workers and services paused or scaled back across the country.

The standoff stems from sharp disagreements in Congress over spending priorities and conditions attached to the Homeland Security funding package. While Senate negotiators from both parties had brokered a compromise that cleared the upper chamber with strong bipartisan support, a faction of House Democrats opposed the deal on the grounds that it did not include protections they sought for certain immigration policies and humanitarian programs. With the House unable to move funding legislation before existing appropriations expired at midnight Friday, a partial shutdown automatically went into effect.

As a result, many federal employees have been placed on temporary leave without pay, and contractors supporting government functions are also being impacted. Key services deemed “non-essential,” including parts of national parks, processing of certain permits, and administrative operations across multiple departments, have shut down. Essential services related to national security, public safety, and programs like Social Security continue to operate.

President and congressional leaders from both parties are now engaged in high-stakes negotiations aimed at reopening the government. However, with entrenched positions on both sides, lawmakers acknowledge the shutdown could extend beyond the projected Tuesday endpoint unless compromises are reached quickly. Meanwhile, federal workers and citizens reliant on government services face uncertainty as the budget crisis unfolds.