Lawmakers in the House and Senate were set to leave Washington for a 10-day break.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., right, is joined by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., left, during the Senate Republican policy luncheon news conference at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb., 10, 2026, in Washington.
WASHINGTON — A shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security appeared certain Thursday as lawmakers in the House and Senate were set to leave Washington for a 10-day break and negotiations with the White House over Democrats’ demands for new restrictions had stalled.. They have demanded better identification for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal law enforcement officers, a new code of conduct for those agencies and more use of judicial warrants, among other requests. The White House sent its most recent offer late Wednesday, including what Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said were “concessions” on the part of the Republican administration. Thune would not say what those concessions were, though, and he acknowledged the sides were “a long ways toward a solution” even as the Senate is scheduled to vote again on the DHS funding. Democrats did not respond publicly to the White House offer, but Democratic senators voted against a funding bill for the department before leaving town, meaning the funding willLawmakers in both chambers were on notice to return to Washington if the two sides struck a deal to end the expected shutdown. But for now, Democrats say they need to see real changes before they will support DHS funding. Americans want accountability and “an end to the chaos,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Thursday before the vote. “The White House and congressional Republicans must listen and deliver.”“We need legislation to rein in ICE and end the violence,” Schumer said, or the actions of the administration “could be reversed tomorrow on a whim.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during the Senate Democrat policy luncheon news conference at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb., 10, 2026, in Washington. was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, Some Republicans suggested that new restrictions were necessary.Thune, who has urged Democrats and the White House to work together, indicated that one sticking point is the Democratic request for more judicial warrants. “The issue of warrants is going to be very hard for the White House or for Republicans,” Thune said. “But I think there are a lot of other areas where there has been give, and progress.” In a list of demands they sent to the White House last week, Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said DHS officers should not be able to enter private property without a judicial warrant and that warrant procedures and standards should be improved. They have said they want an end to “roving patrols” of agents who are targeting people in the streets and in their homes. Most immigration arrests are carried out under administrative warrants. Those are internal documents issued by immigration authorities that authorize the arrest of a specific person but do not permit officers to forcibly enter private homes or other nonpublic spaces without consent. Traditionally, only warrants signed by judges carry that authority.to use force to enter a residence based solely on a more narrow administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal, a move that advocates say collides with Fourth Amendment protections. President Donald Trump listens as Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin speaks during an event announcing that the EPA will no longer regulate greenhouse gases, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. that it be separated from a larger spending measure that became law last week. That package extended homeland security funding at current levels only through Friday., to show identification and to better coordinate with local authorities. They have also demanded a stricter use-of-force policy for the federal officers, legal safeguards at detention centers and a prohibition on tracking protesters with body-worn cameras. Democrats also say Congress should end indiscriminate arrests and require that before a person can be detained, authorities have verified that the person is not a U.S. citizen. Republicans have been largely opposed to most of the items on Democrats’ list. But Trump has remained relatively silent about the talks.Colorado sues to block Trump administration from cutting public health grantsRepublicans tried to temporarily extend the funding, but Democrats blocked that bill as well.The impact of a DHS shutdown is likely to be minimal at first. It would not likely block any of the immigration enforcement operations, as Trump’s tax and spending cut bill passed last year gave ICE about $75 billion to expand detention capacity and bolster enforcement operations. But the other agencies in the department — including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secret Service and the Coast Guard — could take a bigger hit over time. Gregg Phillips, an associate administrator at FEMA, said at a hearing this week that its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Phillips said that while the agency continues to respond to threats like flooding and winter storms, long-term planning and coordination with state and local partners is “irrevocably impacted.”Cherry Creek Schools places second top administrator on leave over misconduct allegationsColorado weather: More than 20 inches of snow expected in mountainsU.S. Rep. Jason Crow says 'there will be costs' to Trump officials after failed indictment attempt Will your favorite ski resort get snow this weekend? Here's every major snow stake webcam in Colorado.Colorado weather: Up to 10 inches of snow forecast for mountain passes by Friday
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Homeland Security shutdown seems certainA shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security appears certain. Lawmakers in the House and Senate are set to leave Washington for a 10-day break, while negotiations with the White House over Democrats’ demands for new restrictions have stalled. The White House and Democrats have traded offers in recent days.
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Homeland Security shutdown seems certain as funding talks between White House and Democrats stallA shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security appears certain.
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Homeland Security shutdown seems certain as funding talks between White House and Democrats stallA shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security appears certain.
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Homeland Security shutdown seems certain as funding talks between White House and Democrats stallA shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security appears certain.
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