January 31, 2026
Federal agencies furlough workers as lawmakers clash over ICE and budget priorities, with DHS receiving only temporary funding.
A partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government took effect on Jan. 31 after Congress failed to fully approve a last-minute funding agreement, forcing dozens of agencies to halt routine operations and furlough workers nationwide.
The funding lapse began at midnight Eastern time after the Senate approved a stopgap bill to keep most federal agencies operating through September. The measure, however, provides only two weeks of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees immigration enforcement, rather than extending its budget for the remainder of the fiscal year. The House of Representatives has not yet voted on the bill and remains out of session, leaving parts of the government without authorization to spend.
As a result, nonessential federal offices closed immediately, while employees designated as “essential” were ordered to continue working without pay until lawmakers reach a final agreement. The White House confirmed that several departments, including transportation, education, and defense, had been instructed to carry out shutdown procedures.
“Employees should report to work for their next regularly scheduled tour of duty to undertake orderly shutdown activities,” a White House memo stated. “It is our hope that this lapse will be short.”
President Donald Trump urged House Republicans, who hold a majority, to approve the Senate-passed deal. The compromise followed tense negotiations with Democrats, who declined to support broader immigration funding after the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis by federal agents earlier this month.
The shutdown highlights unresolved disputes over immigration enforcement, federal oversight and overall spending levels. Republicans backing the standoff argue that the disruption underscores the need for tighter budget controls and policy reforms. Democrats counter that shutdowns are a political tactic that harms federal workers and working families while doing little to solve long-term fiscal issues.
“This is about accountability,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said as negotiations stalled. Referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he added, “We need to rein in ICE and end the violence. That means ending roving patrols. It means requiring rules, oversight, and judicial warrants… Masks need to come off, cameras need to stay on, and officers need visible identification. No secret police.”
Trump and Senate Democrats reached an agreement to fund most of the federal government through the remainder of the year, but the deal briefly stalled in the Senate due to opposition from Sen. Lindsey Graham. The South Carolina Republican blocked a fast vote for nearly 24 hours, calling the bipartisan package a bad deal for ICE officers and other DHS employees. Graham also objected to language that would repeal a provision allowing him and several Republican senators to sue the Justice Department over subpoenaed phone records tied to the investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, NBC News reported.
The consequences of the shutdown are already being felt across the country. Black Americans, who are disproportionately represented in the federal workforce, face heightened economic risk from furloughs and delayed paychecks. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, Black Americans account for about 26% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants despite making up roughly 12% of the U.S. population, raising concerns that service disruptions could deepen existing inequities.
This marks the second federal shutdown in the past year, coming just 11 weeks after the end of a 43-day funding impasse in late 2025—the longest in U.S. history—which disrupted air travel and left hundreds of thousands of workers without pay. Lawmakers say the current lapse is unlikely to last as long, with the House scheduled to reconvene Monday.
As reported by the BBC, attention has also focused on DHS, with lawmakers planning to use the two-week funding window to negotiate additional conditions tied to immigration enforcement. Both parties have criticized tactics used by federal agents following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse killed during an altercation with Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis. The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation into the incident on Friday.
Despite signals from both sides that a resolution is possible, negotiations remain tense, with neither party eager to shoulder blame if the shutdown drags on.
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