WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States has entered a partial government shutdown as of early Saturday morning. While the Senate successfully reached a bipartisan agreement late Friday to fund approximately 96% of the government through September, the House of Representatives did not hold a vote before the midnight deadline and is not scheduled to return to session until Monday, February 2.
The standoff centers on a specific dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its immigration enforcement arm, ICE, following recent fatal incidents involving federal agents in Minneapolis.
1. The Senate Deal: 11 Down, 1 to Go
In a last-minute breakthrough, Senate leaders and President Donald Trump agreed to separate the controversial DHS funding from the broader spending package.
- Full Funding: Five major spending bills—covering Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, Treasury, and the State Department—are now part of a package funded through September.
- DHS Stopgap: The deal includes a two-week extension for the Department of Homeland Security to allow for continued negotiations regarding immigration oversight.
- Presidential Endorsement: President Trump took to social media to urge a bipartisan “YES” vote, noting that the deal avoids the “drastic cuts” initially proposed by some House Republicans.
2. Why the Shutdown Happened Anyway
Despite the Senate’s progress, a funding gap occurred because:
- The House Adjournment: House lawmakers left Washington on Friday and are not set to reconvene until Monday afternoon.
- Revised Package Requirement: Because the Senate split the original package passed by the House, the revised version must be re-voted on by the House before it can reach the President’s desk.
3. Who is Affected (And Who is Not)
Since many agencies (like Agriculture, Commerce, and Veterans Affairs) were funded in previous bills, this shutdown is partial and its impact is expected to be minimal over the weekend.
| Status | Agency / Service | Impact Description |
| Operational | Social Security, Medicare | Checks will be mailed and benefits processed as usual. |
| Operational | National Parks & Museums | The Smithsonian and National Zoo remain open this weekend. |
| Essential Duty | TSA, Air Traffic Control | Agents work without pay; potential for travel delays if staff call in sick. |
| Suspended | IRS (Partial) | Administrative processing and some tax-season helplines may pause. |
| Suspended | SBA Loans | Processing of new small business loans is halted during the gap. |
4. What Happens Next?
Lawmakers expect the shutdown to be one of the shortest in history.
- Monday Vote: The House is expected to take up the Senate-passed package as its first order of business on February 2.
- DHS Deadline: If the package passes, the government will be fully operational by Tuesday, but a new “mini-deadline” for the Department of Homeland Security will loom in mid-February.