Here’s what Americans need to know.
Senate Democrats are signaling plans to block a major Homeland Security funding bill ahead of Friday’s deadline—setting the stage for a potential partial government shutdown during President Donald Trump’s second term.
The $64.4 billion Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending package narrowly passed the House last week in a 220–207 vote, overcoming internal divisions over border enforcement and immigration policy. Now, Senate Democrats appear prepared to halt the bill entirely, citing recent law-enforcement controversies as justification.
Several Democratic senators argue the legislation does not include sufficient restrictions on federal immigration agencies, despite the fact that most of the budget already has bipartisan support.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced Saturday that she will oppose the measure, accusing the administration and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem of expanding enforcement operations without additional oversight.
In a public statement, Cortez Masto claimed the remaining funding disputes are serious enough to justify rejecting the entire bill, even though she acknowledged roughly 96 percent of the DHS budget already has bipartisan agreement.
That position marks a sharp shift. Last year, Cortez Masto joined Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Angus King (I-Maine) in supporting a temporary funding extension to avoid a shutdown. That effort ultimately failed after Senate Democrats delayed final passage, triggering a historically long government shutdown.
Democratic opposition has intensified following a high-profile weekend incident in Minneapolis involving federal border agents. The situation has become a flashpoint for renewed criticism of immigration enforcement policies, particularly among progressive lawmakers.
House Democrats aligned with the progressive “Squad,” including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), are now urging Senate leaders to use the DHS funding bill as leverage to force changes to immigration enforcement nationwide.
Under federal law, Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills each fiscal year to keep the government operating. That deadline arrives Oct. 1, yet lawmakers have failed to meet it on time for decades, instead relying on temporary funding extensions to avoid shutdowns.
Last week, the House passed several additional spending bills covering Defense, Transportation, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development by an overwhelming 341–88 margin. The Senate, which was out of session last week, must now act on those measures along with the DHS bill and two remaining appropriations packages.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has made clear his party intends to block the Homeland Security funding if it reaches the floor.
Schumer argued the DHS bill does not go far enough in addressing concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stating Democrats will not provide the votes needed to advance the legislation.
Because Senate rules require 60 votes to move spending bills forward—and with expected opposition from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)—Republicans would need at least eight Democrats to break ranks. At present, that outcome appears increasingly unlikely.
If Democrats follow through, critics warn the move could trigger another shutdown showdown—raising fresh questions about whether political strategy is being placed ahead of border security, federal operations, and government stability.
