Senators clash over immigration enforcement, but the real risk is what shuts down next

Senate negotiations to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded have stalled ahead of a February 13 midnight deadline, raising the risk of a shutdown in just over a week. As reported by The New York Times, lawmakers left Washington without beginning serious talks, despite the clock running down on funding for one of the government’s largest departments.

The standoff is not primarily about funding levels but about immigration enforcement practices. Democrats are demanding changes following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal immigration officers in Minnesota last month.

Democratic leaders say they will not approve additional DHS funding unless Republicans agree to new restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would withhold votes unless guardrails are put in place on how agents operate.

Talks collapse as shutdown pressure mounts

Democrats are pushing for a series of enforcement changes, including requiring agents to display identification, banning masks during operations, and mandating judicial warrants before entering private property. Their demands also include limits on the use of force, stronger oversight of detention facilities, bans on racial profiling, and prohibitions on raids at sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals.

Republicans have rejected those proposals, arguing they would severely limit enforcement. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, who oversees homeland security spending, said she had attempted to initiate talks but received no response from Democrats, calling their demands excessive and unrealistic.

The White House has signaled mixed messages. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said some Democratic proposals could be discussed, while others were described as nonstarters. President Trump acknowledged after the Minnesota shootings that enforcement tactics might need adjustment, though he said agents still needed to remain tough.

With negotiations stalled, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he may push for a temporary spending bill as early as Monday if talks do not resume. Any short-term measure would still require Democratic support, which leaders have said they will not provide without enforcement changes.

If no agreement is reached by February 14, DHS will shut down. Agencies such as FEMA, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and the TSA would continue operating, but employees would do so without pay, a concern echoed amid broader debates over ICE actions and Target store community trust.

The shutdown would not halt immigration enforcement operations themselves. During last year’s 43-day government shutdown, ICE and Border Patrol agents continued working, funded in part by previously allocated enforcement budgets.

As senators argue over enforcement policy, immigration agents are expected to remain on duty. The immediate financial impact would instead fall on tens of thousands of other DHS employees who would be required to work without pay. Recent scrutiny of enforcement practices has intensified after an ICE background check involving a police recruit raised questions about oversight.