Lawmakers face a Feb. 13 deadline to find a compromise to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. Otherwise, there will be confusion for the Coast Guard and TSA (not ICE).
President Trump signs bill to end partial government shutdown
President Donald Trump signed a bill ending the partial government shutdown.
WASHINGTON – The recent government shutdown is over, and the U.S. Capitol is already bracing for another major brawl over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown that could shut down one entire federal government agency.
After President Trump signed the bill on February 3 to end some funding lapses, Congress’ attention turned to ongoing negotiations to reform the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the killing of Alex Preti in Minnesota last month.
There are many constraints to these discussions, but the biggest challenge may be time. Lawmakers have just over a week to find a compromise before the 9/11 short-term funding extension to the Cabinet Office expires on February 13th.
Democrats initially called for a tense reversal of talks with Republicans and the Trump administration in hopes of quickly putting more guardrails in place for ICE and the Border Patrol. But Republicans have questioned whether speeding up negotiations is even possible.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) said just before the shutdown ended that the deadline to resolve bipartisan concerns about DHS’s recent operations is “too short to cause anything serious.”
“Ultimately, it’s going to be a conversation between the president of the United States and the Democrats here in the Senate,” he told reporters on February 3.
The current political climate stands out as a marked change from last year’s Washington, when Democrats had little influence over the Republican-controlled Congress and White House.
But the widespread backlash over the fatal shooting of two Minnesotans by federal agents during a surge in immigration enforcement in Minneapolis last month has infuriated Democratic bases, angered gun control advocates and prompted unusually harsh criticism of the Trump administration from Republicans in Congress.
This power relationship gave the Democratic Party a rare advantage. Even if that meant another prolonged government shutdown.
Against the backdrop of a spending impasse, lawmakers now have 10 days to figure out a way forward or risk losing their own Department of Homeland Security funding. This scenario would put Democrats in an awkward position. That’s because ICE will continue to operate while other essential government functions Americans rely on, such as the TSA and the Coast Guard, suffer forfeitures in employee pay and other disruptions.
Congress has authorized $75 billion for ICE over the next few years under the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which President Trump signed into law last summer.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said “it’s possible” as long as Republicans negotiate in good faith. Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt will lead talks with Democratic lawmakers.
“We will be presenting a very serious and detailed proposal to Republicans soon,” Schumer told reporters on February 3.
Democrats demand: No masks required, more body cameras.
Senate Democrats have a list of three main demands for immigration enforcement reform. Their demands include an end to intensive immigration checks known as “patrol rounds.” They also want more accountability for ICE and the Border Patrol, including independent investigations and stricter standards for the use of force. It also calls for banning masks and requiring body cameras for federal employees.
Some Senate Republicans have said they would comply with some of those demands. On February 2, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered police officers on the scene in Minneapolis to immediately begin wearing body cameras.
But House Speaker Mike Johnson over the weekend rejected any proposal to force federal workers to remove their masks en masse. Doing so would jeopardize the safety of police officers, the Louisiana Republican argued.
“I don’t think the president would approve it, and I don’t think he should approve it,” Johnson said on Fox.
Those comments quickly irritated some Senate Democrats and raised the possibility that DHS would be shut down next week. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said he won’t vote for a DHS funding bill unless it includes “fundamental changes.”
“I’ve heard Prime Minister Johnson say things that we wouldn’t even consider covering up like other law enforcement agencies in the United States do,” he said. “It’s not something they’re willing to entertain.”
Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
