Here’s What to Know About the DHS Funding Shutdown

Congress appears far from an agreement on the last remaining 2026 funding bill, setting up a negotiation battle between Democratic leaders and the White House.

The Department of Homeland Security has gone without funding since the clock hit midnight on Saturday. The shutdown is the result of a stalemate between congressional Democrats and the White House over federal immigration operations – more specifically, a list of reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents Democrats are demanding in exchange for their votes on funding.

On the eve of President Trump’s first official State of the Union address this term, the lapse reflects a growing tension between his administration and Democrats in Congress.

Here are some of the key questions about the shutdown and what it could mean for Maryland residents.

What are Democrats demanding?

In a letter sent to Republican leadership on Feb. 4, Democratic lawmakers laid out ten reforms on immigration customs they described as “common sense solutions that protect constitutional rights and ensure responsible law enforcement.”

The reforms include prohibiting ICE agents from wearing masks, requiring agents to wear identification and provide their ID number when asked, standardizing uniforms and ensuring state and local oversight on operations.

The White House and congressional Republicans have agreed to a few of the reforms, but struck three of them – unmasking agents, ending random searches and cracking down on warrant requirements – as non-negotiable. Democrats say they will not accept a deal that doesn’t address those three strictures.

Which agencies does the shutdown affect? 

Aside from the two key DHS agencies – ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) – the shutdown affects operations for the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).

This means the majority of these agencies will narrow their work to essential operations during the shutdown, in some cases furloughing non-essential workers until funding is reinstated. Many essential workers run the risk of missing pay depending on how long the shutdown lasts, a bipartisan focal point for reaching an agreement.

But Democrats aren’t feeling pressured to make any moves like they were by the shutdown in October. ICE received more than $78 billion in funding with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, fully funding the agency through 2029. The vast majority of the agency’s operations will continue through the shutdown with that funding.

Will the shutdown impact travel? 

In the short term, it shouldn’t have an impact at all. At the TSA, about 95 percent of workers are deemed essential, meaning they will continue to monitor airport security through the shutdown. Other airport workers, such as air traffic controllers, will continue receiving pay through the 11 funding bills Congress passed.

Vacationers may not see any immediate impact, but DHS workers are facing a full stop on official travel, the Washington Post reported Wednesday. The department’s move to halt even travel considered “mission-critical” is a rare one, expected to disproportionately impact FEMA workers traveling to and from disaster areas.

And if the shutdown continues into the long term, TSA workers could lose out on paychecks until funding is reinstated, stoking fears of chronic absenteeism among workers still recovering from the financial strain of the 43-day shutdown late last year.

How long could the shutdown last? 

It’s anyone’s guess, but likely until the beginning of next week, at least. Congress isn’t expected to reconvene until Monday, with both chambers on scheduled recess until then. Although talks to negotiate are still underway between Democrats and the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a press briefing Wednesday afternoon that the administration considered the Democrats’ latest counteroffer “unserious.”

With no votes scheduled for Monday, it seems like the shutdown will continue through President Trump’s State of the Union speech on Feb. 24. If that’s the case, Trump might be expected to point fingers at Democrats for the shutdown in his speech, with the opportunity for a public faceoff.

By STELLA GARNER
Capital News Service