President Donald Trump and Senate Democrats have reached a tentative agreement to prevent a prolonged shutdown of most of the federal government, separating funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from other agencies. The deal, reached Thursday (January 30), would keep all government departments except DHS funded through September, while DHS would operate under a two-week stopgap bill. This move is intended to allow more time for lawmakers to negotiate changes following public outrage over the killings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration officials in Minneapolis earlier this month.
The Senate must get unanimous agreement to advance the plan before funding expires Friday night. However, there were objections from senators on both sides of the aisle late Thursday, making a brief partial shutdown increasingly likely.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will not support a DHS funding bill without significant changes. Democrats are pushing for reforms such as ending certain immigration enforcement practices, requiring body cameras for federal agents, and increased accountability. These demands come after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both shot by federal agents in Minneapolis this month. Democrats argue that video evidence contradicts official accounts of the incidents, fueling calls for holding agents to stricter standards. Several Democratic senators, including Patty Murray and Amy Klobuchar, have vowed to oppose the current DHS bill.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is among the most vocal opponents of the deal, objecting to changes sought by Democrats and expressing concerns about proposed limits on law enforcement. He also criticized the removal of a provision that would allow senators to sue over unauthorized access to their phone records by investigators.
The House of Representatives is on recess until Monday, which means any Senate-approved funding bill cannot be passed by the House before the shutdown deadline. House Speaker Mike Johnson told ABC News that logistical challenges may make it impossible to bring the House back before Monday, but he expects the government to reopen quickly if a partial shutdown occurs.
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