Partial government shutdown over DHS oversight seems poised to drag on
Feb 17, 2026, 4:39 PM | Updated: 4:40 pm
The U.S. Capitol is seen Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, in Washington. (Photo: Mariam Zuhaib, AP)
(Photo: Mariam Zuhaib, AP)
Lawmakers and the White House offered no signs of compromise over the holiday weekend in their battle over oversight of federal immigration officers that has led to a pause in funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
A partial government shutdown began Saturday after congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump ’s team failed to reach a deal on legislation to fund the department through September.
Democrats are demanding changes to how immigration operations are conducted after the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal officers in Minneapolis last month.
Unlike the record 43-day shutdown last fall, the closures are narrowly confined, affecting only agencies under the DHS umbrella, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
But the work of ICE and CBP will mostly continue unabated, thanks to billions in funding from Trump’s 2025 tax and spending cut law.
