Congress avoids shutdown, but DHS funding remains unresolved

WASHINGTON –

Federal lawmakers avoided a full government shutdown this week, but funding uncertainty remains as negotiations over the Department of Homeland Security enter a critical final stretch.

Congress approved a short-term funding package that reopened most of the federal government after a brief partial shutdown. Lawmakers, however, excluded DHS from the deal amid growing political conflict over immigration enforcement.

The Senate passed a funding package covering five of the six remaining appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026, stripping out DHS funding in response to Democratic concerns about enforcement practices. The House approved the measure earlier this week, funding roughly 95% of the federal government through the end of September.

DHS is currently operating under a two-week continuing resolution that expires next week. Without a new agreement, the department could face a shutdown limited to its agencies.

Democrats are pushing for changes to how DHS agencies — including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection — conduct enforcement actions. Their demands include requiring agents to remove face coverings, mandating judicial warrants instead of administrative warrants, and establishing clearer rules for identification and use of force.

Republicans oppose those changes, arguing that removing masks could expose agents and their families to harassment or doxxing. They also say current enforcement authorities are necessary to carry out operations effectively.

President Donald Trump agreed to allow negotiations on potential DHS changes as part of the deal to reopen the government, but a long-term funding agreement has not been reached.

Republicans note that ICE and CBP received significant funding in last year’s budget legislation. Other DHS-related agencies, however, could see disruptions if funding lapses, including the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Coast Guard.

Lawmakers acknowledge that reaching a compromise before the temporary funding expires will be difficult. Congress could move to extend DHS funding again through another continuing resolution if talks stall.

Beyond DHS, lawmakers are beginning work on the fiscal year 2027 budget. Trump has floated increasing defense spending to as much as $1.5 trillion, a proposal that has drawn skepticism from both parties.

Election policy is also emerging as a point of debate. Trump has suggested expanding the federal government’s role in elections, including ballot counting — remarks that have raised constitutional questions. Members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation have responded cautiously, noting that elections are administered by states.

Amid the political tension, lawmakers pointed to a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation this week, as representatives from Tulsa and the Ukrainian city of Sumy signed a partnership agreement aimed at boosting economic and cultural ties. Supporters see it as a step toward a formal sister-city relationship and potential post-war rebuilding efforts.

• Congress avoided a full government shutdown, approving a short-term funding deal that reopened about 95% of the federal government through the end of September.
• The Department of Homeland Security was left out of the funding package, leaving its budget unresolved amid disputes over immigration enforcement.
• DHS is operating under a temporary two-week funding extension that expires next week, raising the possibility of a DHS-only shutdown if no deal is reached.
• Democrats and Republicans remain divided over enforcement policies, including mask requirements for agents, warrant standards, and use-of-force rules for agencies like ICE and CBP.
• Lawmakers acknowledge a deal will be difficult before the deadline, and Congress may need to pass another short-term extension to avoid disruptions at DHS agencies such as TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard.