Shutdown Approaches As Schumer, White House Attempt 11th Hour Deal

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House are negotiating a framework to advance five of the six remaining fiscal 2026 funding bills, alongside a short-term measure to keep the Department of Homeland Security operating, according to Punchbowl News, citing people familiar with the discussions. The talks come as Congress once again barrels toward a potential government shutdown amid a volatile political fight over immigration enforcement.

Under the emerging framework, lawmakers would pass a temporary DHS funding patch to allow negotiations to continue over new limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection as the agencies carry out President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Senate Republican leaders have urged Democrats to approve all six outstanding spending bills, a position Schumer has declined to accept.

Even if Schumer and the White House reach an agreement, a funding lapse over the weekend appears likely. The House, which is scheduled to return Monday, would still need to approve both the five-bill spending package and the DHS stopgap measure.

Easy money?

Senate Democrats on Wednesday rallied around a set of proposed reforms aimed at DHS and ICE operations. The proposals would tighten warrant requirements, establish a uniform code of conduct for federal officers, prohibit agents from wearing masks and require the use of body cameras.

The negotiations reflect the political pressure facing the White House after a series of violent incidents involving federal agents. Border czar Tom Homan, who was dispatched by the administration to Minnesota to take over operations from Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, held a closely watched press conference today as officials seek to defuse tensions following two fatal shootings involving federal agents in recent weeks.

Those shootings have intensified scrutiny of DHS operations and pushed Congress closer to another funding standoff. Democrats have signaled a willingness to force a shutdown if their demands are not met, marking a sharp shift from their posture during earlier funding fights.

“I don’t like shutdowns,” said Sen. Angus King (I-ME), one of three members of the Democratic caucus who opposed the previous shutdown in a comment to Punchbowl. “But it was a matter of conscience. I didn’t want to be complicit with what these guys are doing.”

To Democrats, the current confrontation carries both moral and political stakes. Party leaders see an opportunity to extract concessions as they perceive the White House to be negotiating from a position of weakness and as some Senate Republicans acknowledge the need for changes at DHS.

At the same time, Democratic unity is not assured. During a private caucus call Wednesday night, some House Democrats questioned whether Senate leaders would hold firm, according to multiple people on the call. Others raised concerns about whether the proposed reforms would meaningfully rein in ICE’s conduct.

Some progressives have pushed for more sweeping action. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) told the outlet that Democrats should be using the moment to “defund and abolish” ICE.

The Senate is scheduled to hold its first procedural vote on the six-bill funding package at 11:30 a.m. To strip DHS funding from the broader package, Democrats would first need to provide votes to advance the legislation. Whether an agreement is reached before that vote remains uncertain.

The risks extend to both parties. House Republicans remain divided, and conservative members have warned they oppose reopening negotiations on DHS funding. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are under pressure from their base to confront the administration forcefully, particularly following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

The White House has offered alternative paths for enacting DHS reforms, including executive actions or separate legislation. Democratic leaders have rejected those options, insisting the changes be written directly into the DHS appropriations bill. Unlike previous shutdown fights, Democrats have limited their demands to reforms they believe Republicans could realistically accept.

Still, GOP resistance remains strong. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said Republicans would not agree to provisions that impede enforcement of the administration’s immigration agenda.

“The American people wanted the president to enforce law and order,” Mullin said. “ICE is doing their job.”