Only 11 weeks until the end of the longest shutdown in history! The US government faces a "technical shutdown" over the weekend, with the Senate waiting for the House to rescue the appropriations bill on Monday.

On Friday, the U.S. Senate voted to pass a bill that provides funding for most government departments until the end of September, while also approving a two-week temporary extension for the Department of Homeland Security budget to allow Congress time to debate new measures restricting federal government immigration raids nationwide. The bill passed with 71 votes in favor and 29 against and has now been submitted to the House of Representatives. However, since the House will not reconvene until next Monday, this means that several federal government departments will face a "technical shutdown" over the weekend until the bill is passed. Reports indicate that this is the second government shutdown in the past year, just 11 weeks after the end of the 43-day shutdown in 2025, the longest in U.S. history. The White House has directed multiple agencies, including the Department of Transportation, Department of Education, and Department of Defense, to implement shutdown plans. As the federal government was on the brink of a shutdown over the weekend, and following the shooting deaths of two protesters by federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis, President Trump reached a funding agreement with Senate Democrats on Thursday. The Democrats had made it clear that they would not vote in favor of the substantial spending bill unless legislation was considered to require agents to not wear masks when conducting operations, to obtain more search warrants, and to allow local authorities to assist in investigating all incidents. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer stated after the vote, "The entire nation is on the brink of collapse, and the American people urgently demand that Congress step up and push for substantial change." Both parties called for inquiries into the two fatal shootings, and Trump, unwilling to see a government shutdown, made this rare bipartisan agreement with his long-time rival Schumer. Subsequently, Trump urged bipartisan lawmakers to cast the "urgently needed bipartisan vote." After a conference call with Republican members on Friday afternoon, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the House is expected to vote on the bill on Monday evening, but it is currently uncertain how much support the funding package will receive. Johnson, a member of the conservative faction of the Republican Party, has clearly opposed restricting funding for the Department of Homeland Security, leading him to rely on Democratic support. The Democrats, in turn, have objected, demanding immediate restrictions on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency or they will not provide funding support. The new rules for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency will face a two-week debate period. It is unclear how much Trump will be involved in negotiations over the new restrictions on immigration arrests and whether the Republicans and Democrats can find any compromises. Schumer made it clear that if in two weeks the bill does not constrain ICE or curb law enforcement violence, Senate Democrats will not support the Department of Homeland Security funding extension. "If our Republican colleagues are unwilling to push for real change, don't expect Democrats to vote in favor." House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries also stated that any changes to the Department of Homeland Security bill must be "meaningful and bring fundamental change." Jeffries said if "significant changes are not made," the Republicans will once again cause a government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota stated that both parties will "engage in negotiations in good faith," but reaching any consensus within such a short time frame will be extremely challenging. "We remain hopeful, but there are significant differences between the two parties at the moment," Thune said. Democrats demand rigorous law enforcement reforms Angry Democratic lawmakers have presented demands to the White House to stop the "mobile patrol law enforcement" practices in cities, synchronize immigration arrest operations with local law enforcement agencies, and insist on more strict regulations for obtaining search warrants. The Democrats also call for enforceable law enforcement guidelines to ensure that law enforcement officers are held accountable if they violate regulations. Schumer stated that federal law enforcement officers should follow the usual practices of most law enforcement agencies, such as "removing masks, turning on body cameras," and carrying valid identification. It is understood that on January 24th, Alex Prenti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents; and two weeks earlier, protester Lenny Good was shot by officers of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Initially, government officials, including Secretary of Homeland Security Chris Noem, claimed that Prenti had actively attacked the police at the time, but multiple on-site videos refuted this claim. Republican demands for countermeasures The concessions made by Trump to the Democrats have sparked opposition from some Senate Republicans, not only delaying the final vote on the bill but also indicating that the debates over the next two weeks will be contentious. Trump's ally, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, delivered a fiery speech in the Senate, warning Republicans not to make too many concessions. "Republicans, where do you stand?" Graham questioned, and claimed that law enforcement officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and Border Patrol have been unfairly maligned and blackened. Several Republican lawmakers stated that if the Democrats continue to push for restrictions on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency's enforcement, the Republicans will counter with demands to impose restrictions on so-called "sanctuary cities" - cities that Republicans believe have been ineffective in combatting illegal immigration. Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky bluntly stated before the vote, "We will never allow the Democrats to weaken law enforcement agencies' powers, prevent deportations, and use this as a condition for funding the Department of Homeland Security." However, some Republican lawmakers believe that adjustments to the enforcement processes of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency are necessary even if they do not agree with all of the Democrats' demands. Senator Eric Schmidt from Missouri stated, "I believe the situation has improved in recent days, and tensions in the Minneapolis area have also eased." Last-minute promises and negotiations After reaching a funding agreement with Senate Democrats, Graham delayed the bill for almost a day until Thune agreed to schedule a vote on the "sanctuary city" related bill he proposed, thus allowing the bill to proceed. In addition, Graham also protested the repeal of a new law that allows senators to claim millions of dollars in compensation from the government if their personal or office data is accessed without their knowledge - Graham and several other senators were subject to data access during the January 6th Capitol Hill unrest investigation known as the "polar frost" investigation. The House of Representatives passed the funding bill last week, including a provision to repeal the above-mentioned new law. However, Graham stated that Thune had agreed to consider pushing a separate bill that would allow "groups and ordinary citizens" involved in the investigation related to Jack Smith to file lawsuits.