US Government Faces Partial Shutdown After Last-Minute Funding Deal Falls Short

Mon Feb 02 2026 03:37:21 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Despite a late-night funding agreement passed by the Senate to keep many government agencies running, the U.S. government is set for a partial shutdown, affecting critical services and federal operations.

As of midnight Eastern Time, the U.S. federal government is partially shut down, triggered by funding lapses affecting various agencies. Despite a Senate-approved bill intended to fund most agencies until September, the House's approval remains pending. The ongoing situation arises amid recent controversies over immigration enforcement and the use of federal agents, highlighting ongoing political tensions.

The United States federal government has partially shutdown despite a last-ditch funding deal approved by the US Senate.

The funding lapse officially began at midnight US eastern time on Saturday, hours after senators agreed to fund most agencies until September. The bill carved out a two-week exemption for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement agencies.

The bill has yet to be approved by the US House of Representatives, which is out of session.

President Donald Trump struck the deal with Democrats after they refused to give more funding for immigration enforcement following the fatal shooting of two US citizens in Minneapolis by federal agents.

It is the second such government shutdown in the past year, and it comes just 11 weeks after the end of the previous funding impasse that lasted 43 days, the longest in US history. The previous shutdown, which lasted from October 1 to November 14, had widespread impacts on essential government services including air travel and left hundreds of thousands of federal workers without pay for weeks.

This shutdown, however, is unlikely to be that long or widespread as the House of Representatives is set to be back in session on Monday.

The White House has directed various agencies, including the departments of transportation, education, and defense, to execute shutdown plans. A White House memo instructed employees to report to work for orderly shutdown activities, stating, It is our hope that this lapse will be short. extensively.

Trump has urged Republican House members to support the deal as lawmakers aim to negotiate a broader immigration policy during the two-week extension for DHS funding.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized current policies, highlighting the need for oversight and accountability in immigration enforcement.

The Justice Department has launched a civil rights investigation into the recent shooting of Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, by a US Border Patrol agent.