Trump and Senate Democrats Strike Deal—But Government Shutdown Still Looms

On Thursday evening, President Donald Trump and Senate Democrats reached an agreement aimed at preventing an impending government shutdown—though it remains unclear whether the deal will pass in the Senate and then move through the House.
With federal funding set to expire at midnight Friday, at least a partial shutdown seems likely. The government most recently shut down from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12—the and which left hundreds of thousands of federal workers , flights across the country, and states’ food aid —before . The current debate centers on immigration enforcement, amid high-profile incidents involving federal agents across the country, including .
“America is setting Records in every way, and our Growth Numbers are among the best ever. The only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown,” Trump said in a on Thursday evening after agreeing on a path forward. “Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote,” Trump added.
The compromise would involve passing five spending bills to fund large parts of the government for the rest of the fiscal year, along with a two-week stopgap funding measure for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to buy time for further negotiations on reining in the Administration’s aggressive and opaque immigration enforcement. Regarding DHS disagreements, the White House said in a that it “looks forward to working with the Congress to quickly resolve outstanding issues in a manner that preserves Administration priorities.”
The deal took shape after Senate Democrats unanimously blocked the broader spending package in a 45-to-55 procedural vote Thursday afternoon, denying it the 60 votes needed to advance. “This is a moment of truth,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, N.Y.) said earlier Thursday. “Congress must act to rein in ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and end the violence.”
But late Thursday, a vote on the compromise package remained out of reach. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, S.C.) into Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s (R, S.D.) office, placing a hold on the package—which Graham reportedly called a “bad deal.”
The Senate officially adjourned Thursday night without a vote and will return Friday morning to try to pass the deal, as Schumer that the “Republicans need to get their act together.”
In negotiations with the White House that began Wednesday, Schumer and other Democratic leaders pushed for a series of policy changes they want attached to any long-term DHS funding. Those banning immigration officers from wearing masks, requiring body cameras and visible identification, tightening warrant requirements, ending roving patrols, and holding federal agents to the same use-of-force standards as state and local police. Democrats have also called for independent investigations into recent shootings.
Republicans resisted many of these proposals, arguing they could endanger officers or weaken enforcement. Still, with the deadline approaching, both sides signaled openness to a temporary compromise. A continuing resolution to fund DHS until Feb. 13—designed to keep negotiations moving without locking in policy outcomes—is shorter than what Republicans preferred. However, even without new funding, DHS would continue many operations, including immigration enforcement, using money from Trump’s sweeping domestic policy law passed last summer.
Even if the deal passes the Senate, it must then go through the House, where Republicans hold a slim 218-213 majority. Some House Republicans have already suggested they would seek to attach their own policy priorities if the revised bill returns to the chamber—a move that could complicate or delay final passage. The House is currently in recess, though GOP leadership is calling members back on Sunday.
As for House Democrats, Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D, N.Y.) said Thursday that his caucus aligned with Senate counterparts on the need for immigration enforcement restrictions but stopped short of endorsing any specific deal. He noted House Democrats would “evaluate whatever bill comes over to us on its merit.”