U.S. government shutdown crisis averted? Trump and Schumer close to reaching a deal to split the DHS budget and renegotiate immigration enforcement restrictions.
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President Trump and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer are close to reaching an agreement that may prevent a government shutdown at several federal agencies due to funding lapses at midnight this Saturday (January 31). Both sides are negotiating new restrictions on federal immigration enforcement personnel.
On January 28, according to media reports, two informed officials revealed that the new plan will separate the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill from a bundle of six spending bills, so that the military, medical projects, and other federal agencies can receive funding for the remaining fiscal year before the Friday (January 30) midnight deadline.
Congress will also consider a short-term extension to fund the Department of Homeland Security, to prevent service interruptions at the Transportation Security Administration, Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. This temporary bill would give lawmakers and the White House more time to negotiate, with talks focusing on new tactical restrictions on federal immigration enforcement personnel—strongly demanded by Democrats—and strengthened accountability for allegations of excessive use of force.
Although officials emphasized that the agreement has not been finalized and still faces multiple obstacles, this development marks a key step for Washington in breaking the budget deadlock. The chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, said both sides are moving toward resolving the crisis. She said: "It appears the White House and the Senate are making good progress to avoid a government shutdown."
Agreement Framework: Splitting Appropriation Bills to Buy Negotiation Time
According to reports, under the proposed plan revealed by informed officials, the Senate will separate DHS funding from the other six spending bills and first pass the remaining five bills to ensure that critical government agencies receive funding before the Friday midnight deadline. These bills cover operating funds for military, medical projects, and other federal agencies for the rest of the fiscal year.
Meanwhile, Congress will consider a short-term extension for the Department of Homeland Security to prevent service interruptions in critical departments including the TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA. This temporary measure would allow Congress and the White House extra time to redraft the DHS funding bill with new restriction clauses included.
Informed officials emphasized that the agreement has not yet been finalized and multiple hurdles remain. It is not clear how this potential agreement will affect the planned Thursday morning test vote on the spending bills.
Democratic Pressure: Minneapolis Shooting Becomes a Turning Point
Senate Democratic leader Schumer previously pressured Majority Leader, South Dakota Republican Senator John Thune, to split the six-bill package and allow the DHS bill to be rewritten. This demand became more urgent after the deadly Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis.
According to Xinhua News Agency, on the morning of January 24, a new immigration enforcement shooting incident occurred in Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota, resulting in the death of a 37-year-old American male citizen. On the 25th local time, President Trump said in an interview that the government is "reviewing everything" in relation to the incident but has not concluded on the appropriateness of the federal officer’s conduct involved in the case.
According to reports, informed officials revealed that Senate Democrats clarified their conditions earlier on Wednesday: before they would support continued funding for DHS, the Trump administration must change the way it conducts immigration enforcement. The specific Democratic demands include:
Federal officers carrying out Trump’s deportation efforts must remove masks, wear body cameras, stop random and warrantless searches and arrests, and establish accountability for those accused of excessive force.
Thune initially resisted splitting the bills, but also encouraged Schumer to seek a deal with the administration. The progress made Wednesday night was based on these explicit demands from the Democrats.
White House vs. Congress: Head of Border Affairs to Hold Press Conference
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Collins expressed optimism about the progress of negotiations. She said: "It appears the White House and the Senate are making good progress to avoid a government shutdown." This statement signals that senior Republicans are positive about reaching a deal.
If a deal is ultimately reached, it would mark a compromise from the Trump administration on immigration enforcement policy, accepting congressional oversight and restrictions on enforcement actions. It would also hand Democrats an important bargaining chip in the immigration policy debate by embedding specific constraints on enforcement actions into the funding authorization.
Notably, Tom Homan, the head of border affairs sent by Trump to quell unrest in Minneapolis, plans to hold a press conference on Thursday morning local time, which will coincide with the Senate's test vote.
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