Democrats are leveraging a DHS funding lapse to force immigration “reforms” that Republicans say could weaken enforcement just as border security becomes the defining fight of Trump’s second term.
Story Snapshot
- House Speaker Mike Johnson says the House can pass a bill to end the partial shutdown by Tuesday, even without Democrat help.
- The shutdown is tied to a dispute over Department of Homeland Security funding after backlash to federal immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota.
- The Senate passed a compromise that would extend DHS funding for two weeks, giving lawmakers time to negotiate a broader deal.
- House Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, are refusing expedited passage and demanding DHS policy changes immediately.
Johnson targets Tuesday vote as DHS shutdown drags into a new week
House Speaker Mike Johnson told national Sunday shows he expects the House to pass a spending measure and end the partial shutdown by Tuesday. Johnson said the challenge is logistical and political: gathering members back in Washington and unifying a slim Republican majority without Democrat votes. The immediate problem is funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which lapsed after Congress missed the deadline.
Johnson’s plan runs through the House Rules Committee, which is scheduled to take up the legislation Monday afternoon before a floor vote targeted for Tuesday. Current reporting indicates the House will not vote on Monday.
A simple majority would be required on the floor, but the margin is tight enough that leadership needs strong Republican unity to avoid relying on Democrats who have already signaled opposition to a fast-track process.
Why this shutdown is different: DHS money, immigration enforcement, and Minnesota backlash
This shutdown is narrower than many past showdowns because it centers on DHS, the department responsible for immigration enforcement and border security.
The dispute intensified after federal officers in Minneapolis fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renée Good, last month, sparking public outrage and a political backlash that spilled into budget talks. Reporting also indicates a Department of Justice civil rights probe is underway, adding pressure to the negotiations.
Democrats argue the Minnesota incidents justify immediate structural changes to DHS operations, including proposals such as barring masks and requiring identification for immigration officers. Johnson has rejected those demands, saying the types of changes Democrats want could endanger officers and constrain enforcement.
With President Trump back in office and prioritizing stricter immigration enforcement, Republicans are treating the DHS fight as central to restoring order and enforcing federal law.
US House Speaker Johnson says he has votes to end partial shutdown by Tuesday https://t.co/mrMBGb5m4b https://t.co/mrMBGb5m4b
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 1, 2026
Senate’s two-week extension offers a path out—if the House can move it
The Senate passed a compromise package on Friday after negotiations involving the White House, extending DHS funding for two weeks. The idea is straightforward: reopen the department quickly and use the short extension to negotiate longer-term funding and policy differences.
That approach can reduce immediate disruptions to DHS operations while preserving Congress’s ability to debate reforms through regular order instead of under shutdown pressure.
House Democrats, however, are resisting expedited passage of the Senate bill. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said Democrats want a “robust path” to significant DHS reforms now, not later, and has indicated his caucus will not cooperate with procedural shortcuts.
That leaves Johnson needing to assemble Republican votes largely on his own—an internal test of party discipline under unified Republican control of Washington.
What’s at stake for constitutional governance and public trust
Shutdown politics often reward brinkmanship, and this episode shows how quickly a targeted funding lapse can become a high-stakes referendum on executive power and enforcement policy.
Conservatives generally argue that immigration enforcement is a core federal responsibility and that withholding DHS funding to force operational changes risks undermining that responsibility. Democrats argue oversight and reform are necessary after Minnesota, but available reporting does not show agreement on what reforms are feasible under current law.
Speaker Johnson: 'Confident' government shutdown will end by Tuesday https://t.co/Fs9wFJvRmD
— CNBC (@CNBC) February 1, 2026
The short-term impact is expected to be limited because the shutdown is partial and focused on DHS, but the political impact is immediate. Federal workers and operations can face delays, and public confidence can erode when Washington appears unable to keep core agencies funded.
The remaining uncertainty is whether Johnson’s vote count is solid; reporting indicates the timeline is plausible, but the thin House majority makes any last-minute defections potentially decisive.
Sources:
Mike Johnson says House can end government shutdown by Tuesday
Government shutdown 2026: Mike Johnson
Graham blockade stalls government funding deal hours before shutdown
