Congress could face a partial government shutdown at the end of the week due to a dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is jeopardizing a broader bipartisan spending agreement.

About half of federal agencies are funded only through Jan. 30, 2026, and while the House passed a package to fund them through September, its prospects in the Senate are uncertain. Democrats withdrew support for the appropriations package after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti over the weekend by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and are seeking to separate DHS funding from the rest of the package for further negotiation. The overall bill would fund several major departments, including Defense, Health and Human Services, Transportation, State, and Treasury, in addition to DHS. Democrats argue the DHS funding does not sufficiently limit ICE activities, despite provisions cutting border funding, reducing detention capacity, and adding money for body cameras and de-escalation training. Senate Republicans have begun procedural steps toward a vote later this week and oppose splitting the bill, warning that further delays could trigger a shutdown. The White House has expressed support for the negotiated package and urged Congress to pass it as agreed. Read more here.