The United States government officially entered a
partial shutdown on Saturday, January 31, 2026, after Congress failed to pass a full budget by the midnight deadline. The primary cause of the impasse is a deadlock over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and immigration enforcement policy.
Key Details of the Shutdown
Cause of Deadlock: Democratic lawmakers refused to approve full DHS funding without new restrictions on federal immigration agents. This follows recent outrage over the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Senate Breakthrough: Late Friday night, the Senate passed a bipartisan deal (71-29) that funds most major agencies through September while providing a two-week stopgap for DHS to allow for further negotiations.
The House Delay: Because the House of Representatives is currently in recess and not scheduled to return until Monday, February 2, 2026, the Senate-approved deal cannot be ratified until then.
Duration Expectation: Lawmakers and the White House expect the disruption to be brief, as the House is expected to act quickly upon its return on Monday.
Affected Agencies & Operations
Roughly three-quarters of federal operationsare technically affected by the funding lapse.
Impacted Departments: Non-essential functions in the departments of Defense, State, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Treasury are suspended until the House passes the funding package.
Essential Personnel: Employees deemed essential—including air-traffic controllers, active-duty military, and Border Patrol agents—must continue working without pay during the lapse.
Unaffected Agencies: Departments that received full-year funding earlier, such as Justice, Commerce, Agriculture, Interior (National Parks), and Veterans Affairs, remain fully operational.
ICE Operations: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations are expected to continue largely unchanged due to mandatory funding from the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill Act".
Travel and Public Services
Air Travel: While TSA and air-traffic controllers remain on duty, a prolonged shutdown could lead to delays or staffing shortages if paychecks are missed.
Social Safety Nets: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid payments will continue, as will SNAP and WIC benefits.
Post Office: The U.S. Postal Service is self-funded and is not affected by the shutdown.