Senate Fails to Advance DHS Funding, Partial Shutdown Continues
On Feb. 24 the Senate failed 50-45 to advance DHS funding, prolonging a partial DHS shutdown amid stalled ICE and CBP reform talks and disruptions to FEMA and TSA operations.
Epoch TimesSenate Fails to Advance Homeland Security Funding Bill
CBS NewsSenate fails to advance DHS funding as ICE reform deal remains out of reach
FOX NewsSchumer, Dems again block DHS funding, force State of the Union showdown
Just the NewsSenate Democrats block DHS funding bill, prolonging partial government shutdown
Overview
On Feb. 24 the Senate failed to advance legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security after a 50 to 45 vote that fell short of the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster.
The failure extended the partial DHS shutdown into its 11th to 12th day as lawmakers remained deadlocked over reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the White House and Republicans "have not budged on the key issues," while Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Democrats were not giving room to compromise.
The shutdown is affecting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard, while ICE and CBP received separate funding last year that is expected to keep them operational for five years.
Negotiators exchanged counteroffers but remained far apart, and a source familiar with negotiations said talks were expected to resume next week while lawmakers awaited the State of the Union.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the DHS funding stalemate as driven by administration inflexibility, foregrounding Democratic demands and public impacts through repeated, prominent citation of reform proposals and effects on agencies. Republican responses appear but are summarized or framed as obstructionist, with less contextual detail and fewer concrete policy alternatives offered.
FAQ
The shutdown began on February 14, 2026, due to a lack of progress in negotiations over reforms to ICE and CBP following the killing of Alex Pretti by CBP agents, after a prior two-week funding extension expired.[3]
The Senate voted 50-45, falling short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster, due to deadlocked talks on ICE and CBP reforms, with no compromise between Democrats and Republicans.[1]
FEMA faces staff furloughs, delayed reimbursements, and disrupted disaster response; TSA sees employees working without pay, risking absenteeism and longer airport lines; CISA has paused non-critical operations with over half furloughed; Coast Guard is disrupted.
Yes, ICE and CBP received separate funding last year expected to keep them operational for five years, despite the broader DHS shutdown.
Democrats demand removing agents under investigation from the field, local prosecution rights, use of force policies, and detainee lawyer access; Republicans criticize as excessive bureaucracy and propose protections against agent harassment and local cooperation mandates.[3]
