US EditionSenate Democrats block DHS funding bill as impasse deepens
Senate Democrats demand immigration enforcement reforms amid a 12-day DHS funding lapse, leaving roughly 120,000 employees unpaid and halting government operations.
- A 50-45 floor vote failed to reach the 60-vote threshold, blocking the DHS funding bill as the U.S. Senate returned on Feb. 25, 2026 amid a partial funding lapse.
- Senate Democrats are demanding Border Patrol and ICE reforms after the deadly shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good last month, including warrants for arrests and barring agents from sensitive locations.
- Roughly 120,000 DHS employees are working without pay, while about 140,000 remain paid including 57,000 Customs and Border Protection officers, 25,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, and 51,000 Coast Guard members.
- Agencies face missed paychecks and airport delays as worker shortages strain TSA, Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Coast Guard, while Senate Republicans plan to tee up another vote today led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
- The DHS funding lapse began on Feb. 14, 2026, and Tuesday marked the Senate's second attempt to pass funding; President Donald Trump called it a `Democrat shutdown` during his Feb. 24 State of the Union.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Sen. Katie Britt says she's "hopeful we'll find a pathway forward" on ending DHS shutdown
President Trump's 2026 State of the Union address coincided with a funding lapse for the Department of Homeland Security. Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama joins "The Takeout" to react to the president's speech and discuss the latest on talks to fund DHS.
Dial shows how voters reacted to Trump criticizing Democrats for partial government shutdown
President Donald Trump accused Democrats of cutting funding for the Department of Homeland Security during his State of the Union address, and a bipartisan voter panel showed divided reactions.
Exclusive: Shutdown hits homeland security agencies outside immigration enforcement
Roughly 120,000 Department of Homeland Security employees are working without pay as Democrats and the White House remain at odds over funding the department — and the bulk of those missing checks do not work in immigration enforcement, according to internal numbers compiled by the Trump administration and shared with Semafor.Some 140,000 DHS employees are still getting paid, with many immigration and law enforcement officials unaffected by the …
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