By Lindsay Wise and Anvee Bhutani

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Homeland Security is on the verge of a shutdown after Senate Democrats voted to block a bill to fund the agency, saying negotiations with Republicans to put new restrictions on immigration enforcement hadn't made enough progress.

A bill to fund DHS through September failed to advance with 52 in favor and 47 opposed, short of the 60 votes needed to advance the measure. Republicans control the Senate 53-47, and they needed at least some Democrats to vote with them due to the filibuster rule.

DHS oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Transportation Security Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard. While the failed vote sets the stage for funding to lapse at DHS for at least a week, there isn't expected to be any significant impact on border enforcement from the shutdown.

Democrats have demanded that Republicans agree to an overhaul of DHS as a condition of funding the agency, following the fatal shootings of two American citizens by federal immigration agents in Minnesota last month. On Thursday morning, the Trump administration said it is e nding its immigration crackdown in the state amid public outcry.

Lawmakers have passed legislation to fund every other part of government through the end of the fiscal year in September, but split off the DHS bill to give time for more negotiations. A two-week stopgap funding patch expires after Friday.

"If they don't propose something that's strong, that reins in ICE, that ends the killing -- don't expect our votes," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.).

Democrats want an end to roving street patrols by immigration agents, tighter rules governing warrants and use of force, independent investigations for officer misconduct and a prohibition on agents wearing masks. They also want to require agents to use body cameras and carry identification. Republicans have rejected some of the ideas -- notably on masks -- and have introduced their own demand to end so-called sanctuary cities.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) was so downbeat about the potential for a deal that he is allowing senators to go ahead with their plans to leave Washington for a weeklong recess, despite the imminent shutdown. Both the Senate and the House are scheduled to be out of session next week because of the Presidents Day holiday, and many lawmakers are headed to a security conference in Munich this weekend.

In a speech ahead of the vote, Thune complained that Democrats were rejecting "a reasonable good-faith offer" from the White House, though he didn't say what that offer entailed. "Now, I'm not sure if Democrats thought the White House would just agree to every one of their demands or what, but they cannot reasonably expect to reach an agreement without actual negotiations from both sides," he said.

Democrats on Saturday released a draft legislative text that included their proposals. The White House sent text of a counteroffer to Democrats late Wednesday, but none of the negotiators have publicly released it or described its contents.

Several Democratic senators said earlier this week that the White House has rejected key parts of Democrats' demands.

"I see no sign that they're willing to accept the core protections: judicial warrants, body cameras, a right of action against ICE agents who break the law," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.). The White House didn't respond to a request for comment.

In a sign of how dug in Democrats are, centrists who opposed the record-setting government shutdown in the fall -- largely over a failed effort to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act coverage -- said this week they would oppose even a short-term funding patch to keep DHS open for a matter of weeks while negotiations continued.

"I am not going to support [a stopgap bill] if my Republican colleagues can't come to the table and work with us right now and get this done," said Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D., Nev.), who voted against the last shutdown. Cortez-Masto said she didn't think the GOP and the White House were working in good faith with Democrats on overhauling the department.

Write to Lindsay Wise at lindsay.wise@wsj.com and Anvee Bhutani at anvee.bhutani@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 12, 2026 14:06 ET (19:06 GMT)

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