Senate Democrats block Homeland Security bill, and now a shutdown clock is ticking

Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a House-passed bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, bringing Washington to the brink of a partial government shutdown. As reported by The Hill, the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance, failing 52-47 and leaving funding for key federal services set to lapse Saturday without further action.

More than 260,000 federal employees are affected. Agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, would run out of funding if a deal is not reached.

Senate appropriators said TSA agents and personnel at FEMA and the Coast Guard would continue working. However, they will do so in a limited capacity, a restriction expected to disrupt operations.

Immigration fight drives shutdown standoff

Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are unlikely to face significant disruption. This is because they have received tens of billions in funding last year under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump.

Democrats say their opposition centers on immigration enforcement practices rather than overall funding levels. The political fight intensified after January 24, when a video surfaced of federal officers fatally shooting 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, amid public opinion after ICE shootings that has sharpened scrutiny on enforcement oversight.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said before the vote that Democrats would not support an extension of what he described as the status quo, citing concerns about enforcement tactics and oversight. He argued that legislative changes are necessary to rein in ICE operations.

Although White House border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that a surge deployment of ICE officers in Minnesota was ending, Democrats called the move insufficient. Democrats have outlined a 10-point reform plan that would require federal immigration officers to obtain search warrants before entering homes, prohibit agents from wearing masks, mandate body cameras, and establish standardized use-of-force policies.

The White House sent legislative text and a one-page letter offering concessions this week, but Democrats rejected the proposal, saying it did not address their core demands. The broader fight has unfolded alongside a grand jury refused indictments dispute that has amplified Senate concerns about accountability and process.

Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso accused Democrats of reversing course on a bipartisan funding measure they had helped negotiate last month. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said she would not support another temporary funding extension without progress on reforms, citing concerns about federal law enforcement conduct.