A partial government shutdown recently ended, but another could occur if Democrats and Republicans can’t agree on potential restrictions for immigration enforcement after two fatal shootings by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis this month.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and nearly all House Democrats voted against a funding deal Senate Democrats struck with the White House. Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer presented a unified Democratic front as they laid out demands for reforms at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ahead of a Feb. 13 deadline to fund the agency.
“The House and Senate are completely and totally on the same page in terms of Democrats,” Jeffries said, and Schumer described recent conversations as “really good and productive.”
Democrats pushed to separate DHS funding from other appropriations following the deaths of Renee Good, fatally shot by an immigration enforcement officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, and Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse killed in a Jan. 24 shooting involving federal law enforcement. An Ipsos poll conducted Jan. 30–Feb. 1 found 62% of Americans say current ICE efforts to address unauthorized immigration go too far.
In a letter to Republican leaders, Jeffries and Schumer listed 10 key demands for DHS funding: requiring judicial warrants before agents enter private property, banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from wearing face masks, mandating body cameras, and setting new use-of-force standards. The letter also urged the administration to “fully ramp down the surge in Minnesota” and suggested removing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democratic appropriator in the Senate, said Democrats are “at the table” but insisted any bill must rein in alleged abuses by ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Despite those statements, bipartisan negotiations did not begin immediately; Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House into recess early Wednesday.
Schumer said Democrats were ready to negotiate but warned they would withhold votes if Republicans didn’t offer “real reform.” Schumer and Jeffries also indicated some uncertainty about whether the appropriate negotiating partner was the White House or congressional Republicans; Senate Majority Leader John Thune reportedly told Democrats to talk to the White House.
Thune criticized Democrats as “afraid of their shadows,” saying he had received no offer from them as of Wednesday morning. Jeffries pushed back, saying both Thune and other Republicans “are afraid of their shadows” and emphasizing the need for “bold, meaningful and transformative” changes to DHS practices.
On the Republican side, Speaker Johnson said Democrats’ demand for a second judicial warrant — beyond an immigration judge’s authorization — was impractical given time constraints. Johnson signaled willingness to compromise on body cameras but opposed a face-mask ban for agents, citing concerns about doxxing and the safety of agents’ personal information.
So far, Democrats have not converted their demands into legislative text, and Republicans likewise have not produced legislation addressing the upcoming deadline. Johnson said he planned to discuss the matter with President Trump and expressed hope for negotiation over the next two weeks.
Jeffries rejected a continuing resolution to fund DHS through the end of the fiscal year, calling it a “hard no.” He urged resolving the issue by Feb. 13, citing violent incidents he said are linked to current enforcement actions: “American citizens are being killed in the streets. Children are being kidnapped. Houses of worship, schools and hospitals are being stormed.”
Democrats accuse Republicans of setting the stage for another shutdown. Jeffries said Johnson supports deployment of “masked and lawless ICE agents” in communities, a stance Jeffries said contrasts with public sentiment.
A DHS funding lapse would affect far more than ICE. The appropriations bill covers the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), FEMA, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service and other agencies. While ICE has some FY2026 funding and received significant funding over the next decade in the previously passed “Big Beautiful Bill,” a DHS shutdown could disrupt FEMA’s disaster response, TSA airport operations, Coast Guard missions and other essential services, officials warn.
With both sides trading demands and no legislative text yet filed, the Feb. 13 deadline remains the immediate focal point as lawmakers weigh reforms to immigration enforcement against the risk of another government funding crisis.