DHS Shutdown Imminent as Lawmakers Fail to Reach Agreement Ahead of Valentine’s Day Deadline

Expiring Saturday is the two-week continuing resolution approved by lawmakers earlier this month to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amidst tense negotiations.

As part of a funding package to end a partial government shutdown, lawmakers agreed to fund DHS through February 14, buying them time to continue working towards an agreement over funding for the department.

Although the House had originally approved full funding for DHS — which is responsible for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alongside the other agencies — the Senate opted to take a different route, instead supporting a two-week continuing resolution for DHS amidst tense disagreement.

This move allowed the remaining spending bills to advance while buying time for lawmakers to negotiate a separate deal for the department.

With this continuing resolution coming to an end, however, DHS is expected to enter a shutdown until lawmakers agree on a long-term path forward or adopt another temporary measure.

[RELATED: Partial Government Shutdown Ends as President Trump Signs Spending Package, DHS Funded Through February 14th as Negotiations Continue]

While a bill funding the department through September 30 cleared the House, it ultimately failed a procedural hurdle in the Senate Thursday, ensuring that the clock would run down before an agreement could be reached.

Discussions concerning DHS funding have centered primarily on ICE and the inclusion of potential reforms, but a department shutdown would impact a number of agencies including Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Coast Guard.

A shutdown would also affect the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Secret Service.

Despite the centrality of ICE to the ongoing disagreement, the agency will largely be able to continue operating as normal during the shutdown, as the agency received $75 billion worth of funding in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law last year.

Additionally, the majority of ICE employees are considered essential and are required to continue working even in the absence of funding.

“DHS essential missions and functions will continue as they do during every shutdown,” a spokesperson for the department told The Hill in a statement. “However, during a shutdown, many employees will be forced to work without pay, putting strain on the frontline defenders of our nation.”

Also issuing a statement on the impending shutdown were the Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee.

“A shutdown of DHS would not have the impact on immigration operations that Democrats hope it would – there is plenty of funding from last year’s Big, Beautiful Bill specifically meant for immigration enforcement and construction of a border wall,” they said. “However, many other agencies and programs under DHS will suffer should the government shut down.”

“Today’s strong vote was a shot across the bow to Republicans. Democrats will not support a blank check for chaos,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) at a press conference held following Thursday’s vote.

Congress has now entered a week-long recess, according to CNBC, meaning that the DHS shutdown can be expected to last for a minimum of several days.