Homeland Security Funding Talks Stall, Shutdown Looms

White House and Democrats fail to reach agreement on immigration enforcement restrictions before funding expires.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security appears certain as lawmakers in the House and Senate are set to leave Washington for a 10-day break and negotiations between the White House and Democrats over new restrictions on immigration enforcement have stalled. The White House sent its most recent offer late Wednesday, but Democrats have not responded publicly and voted against a funding bill for the department before leaving town, meaning the funding will expire on Saturday without further action.

Why it matters

The potential DHS shutdown highlights the ongoing political tensions over immigration enforcement policies, with Democrats pushing for more oversight and accountability of federal agencies like ICE and Border Patrol, while the White House has resisted many of their demands. The outcome could impact a range of DHS agencies and operations, from airport security to disaster response.

The details

Democrats 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 a recent offer with some concessions, but the two sides remain far apart. Democrats say they need to see real changes before supporting DHS funding, while Republicans have been largely opposed to the items on the Democrats' list.

  • The Senate is scheduled to vote again on the DHS funding bill on Friday, February 14, 2026.
  • The current DHS funding is set to expire on Saturday, February 15, 2026.

The players

John Thune

Republican Senator from South Dakota and Senate Majority Leader.

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Senator from New York and Senate Democratic leader.

Hakeem Jeffries

Democratic Representative from New York and House Democratic leader.

Donald Trump

President of the United States.

Gregg Phillips

Associate Administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

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What they’re saying

“We need legislation to rein in ICE and end the violence, or the actions of the administration could be reversed tomorrow on a whim.”

— Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic leader (ksgf.com)

“The issue of warrants is going to be very hard for the White House or for Republicans, but I think there are a lot of other areas where there has been give, and progress.”

— John Thune, Senate Majority Leader (ksgf.com)

What’s next

The Senate is scheduled to vote again on the DHS funding bill on Friday, February 14, 2026, just one day before the current funding is set to expire.

The takeaway

The potential DHS shutdown highlights the ongoing political divide over immigration enforcement policies, with Democrats pushing for more oversight and accountability, and the White House resisting many of their demands. The outcome could have significant impacts on a range of DHS agencies and operations, underscoring the need for bipartisan compromise on this critical issue.