Senate leaders scramble to save bipartisan deal and avoid a partial shutdown

Senate leaders worked frantically Friday to salvage a bipartisan spending deal and avert a partial government shutdown as Democrats pushed for new restrictions on federal immigration enforcement following two protester deaths in Minneapolis.

In a rare show of cooperation, Democrats reached an agreement with President Donald Trump to separate Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader government spending bill. The compromise would fund DHS for two weeks while Congress debates limitations on Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

“Republicans and Democrats have come together to get the vast majority of the government funded until September,” Trump announced on social media Thursday evening, urging lawmakers from both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.”

However, the package hit unexpected obstacles late Thursday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged “snags on both sides” as he and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer attempted to resolve objections before the midnight deadline.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina confirmed he was among those blocking the measure, arguing ICE agents were being treated unfairly. He also opposed House language repealing legislation that allows senators to sue the government if their personal data is accessed without authorization.

Even if the Senate approves the funding measure, House approval would still be required. With the House not scheduled to reconvene until Monday, a temporary weekend shutdown appears possible. The Trump administration is expected to issue guidance to federal agencies on contingency operations.

The unusual bipartisan negotiations between Trump and Schumer, typically adversaries, followed the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minnesota last weekend, which prompted calls for investigation from senators across the political spectrum.

“What ICE is doing, outside the law, is state-sanctioned thuggery and it must stop,” Schumer declared. “Congress has the authority — and the moral obligation — to act.”

This standoff threatens another government shutdown just two months after a 43-day closure over expired health care subsidies. That impasse ended when moderate Democrats broke ranks to compromise with Republicans. Now, Democrats show greater unity after federal agents killed both Pretti and another protester, Renee Good.

Republicans appear more amenable to compromise this time. Several lawmakers acknowledged openness to new restrictions following the fatal incidents.

Democratic demands include ending “roving patrols” in cities, requiring coordination with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, and implementing stricter warrant requirements. They also seek an enforceable code of conduct holding agents accountable for rule violations and requirements that agents operate with “masks off, body cameras on” while carrying proper identification.

Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, stated Thursday that federal immigration officials are developing plans to reduce agent presence in Minnesota, contingent on cooperation from state authorities.

Looking ahead, negotiations on a final DHS funding agreement will likely prove challenging. Democrats want to curtail Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies. “If the Trump administration resists reforms, we shut down the agency,” warned Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Republicans remain resistant to adopting all Democratic proposals. Senator Thom Tillis expressed opposition to requiring immigration officers to show their faces, citing safety concerns. “There’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home,” Tillis explained.

Graham acknowledged some Democratic proposals “make sense,” including improved training and body cameras. However, he warned colleagues that if Democrats modify the funding bill, he would push for provisions preventing local governments from obstructing federal immigration enforcement.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told The Associated Press he had “vehemently opposed” separating the funding package but recognized the need to move quickly to prevent a shutdown. Speaking at a Kennedy Center event, Johnson acknowledged potential “tough decisions” regarding when to recall the House to Washington.

The conservative House Freedom Caucus has taken a firm stance, writing to Trump: “The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security.”

As the deadline approaches, the path to resolving competing demands between ICE reform advocates and immigration enforcement supporters remains uncertain, leaving federal agencies and employees in limbo once again.