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A partial shutdown of the US federal government appeared inevitable Thursday after Senate Democrats rejected a crucial spending package in protest of the fatal shootings of two immigration activists by federal agents.
The Senate voted 55-45 to block a six-bill appropriations measure that would fund more than three-quarters of government operations, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation. The failure sets the stage for a partial shutdown beginning Saturday at midnight, which would be the second such lapse in funding since President Donald Trump took office a year ago.
Democrats demanded that funding for the Department of Homeland Security be separated from the broader package and renegotiated to include new restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement, following the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis. The standoff has paralyzed negotiations with less than 48 hours remaining before the deadline.
"What ICE is doing... it is state-sanctioned thuggery and it must stop. And Congress has the authority -- and the moral obligation -- to act," Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote.
The political crisis erupted after border patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse protesting Trump's deportation efforts in Minneapolis, last Saturday. The incident occurred just weeks after immigration officers killed another activist, Renee Good, in the same city.
The deaths shattered what had appeared to be a stable bipartisan funding agreement and shifted congressional focus to the conduct of immigration enforcement officers operating under Trump's aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
Democrats say they are prepared to pass the remaining five bills immediately — covering departments including defense, health, education, transportation and financial services — if Republicans agree to separate DHS funding for further negotiations.
Democratic lawmakers are pushing for sweeping changes to immigration enforcement practices, including an end to roving ICE patrols, tightened requirements for search warrants, and establishment of a universal code of conduct governing the use of force. They also want to prohibit officers from wearing masks and mandate body cameras and proper identification for all agents.
Republican leaders have resisted splitting the package, arguing that altering the legislation would delay passage and potentially trigger the very shutdown Democrats claim to want to avoid. Both the House and Senate must approve identical bill texts before they can become law, but the House is currently on break.
Some lawmakers have raised concerns about the consequences of a DHS shutdown for agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency during severe winter weather conditions.
The White House has become more directly involved in negotiations as the deadline approaches, according to US media reports, with Trump aides exploring whether a temporary DHS funding extension could defuse the crisis.
However, Democrats have warned they will not accept informal assurances or executive actions in place of binding legislation. "Talks are ongoing," according to congressional sources, though no breakthrough appeared imminent Thursday evening.
The standoff carries particularly high stakes in a midterm election year, with all House seats and approximately one-third of Senate seats up for reelection. If funding lapses, hundreds of thousands of public employees could be placed on leave or forced to work without pay, with economic disruption rippling outward across federal operations.
The failed procedural vote was not close, as a modest Republican revolt driven by various grievances joined Democrats in rejecting the package. The chamber's 53 Republicans fell well short of the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the legislation.
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