Trump, Democrats scramble to avert US govt shutdown after funding bill blocked

WASHINGTON: US Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked legislation that would fund large parts of the federal government beyond a Friday midnight deadline, increasing the risk of a partial government shutdown as lawmakers negotiate with President Donald Trump’s administration over immigration enforcement policies.

The funding bill failed to advance after Democrats demanded new restrictions on the aggressive tactics used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following widespread outrage over the shooting of a second US citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis last weekend.

If Congress does not reach an agreement before funding expires, several government operations could be forced to shut down starting Saturday. Despite the standoff, sources from both parties said talks were continuing and progress was being made to avoid a shutdown.

Senate Republican Leader John Thune told reporters that discussions had been constructive and expressed hope that an agreement could still be reached. Trump also said at the White House that his administration would work in a bipartisan way to prevent a shutdown.

Democrats are calling for limits on ICE operations, including an end to roving patrols, a ban on agents wearing face masks, and a requirement for officers to wear body cameras. The shooting incident sparked strong public anger and prompted the administration to de-escalate enforcement operations in the region.

In Thursday’s vote, all 47 Senate Democrats, joined by eight Republicans, blocked the funding legislation, leaving it short of the 60 votes required to clear a procedural hurdle. The vote reflected growing unease even among some of Trump’s Republican allies about ICE tactics.

Democrats are pushing to separate funding for ICE’s parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, from the broader spending package to ensure that funding for the Pentagon, health programmes and other government services is not disrupted. They are also seeking a temporary extension of DHS funding to allow more time for negotiations.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said the two sides were now discussing how long such an extension should last. A Republican source said some, but not all, of the Democrats’ demands could be included in the final bill.

Any changes made in the Senate would also need approval from the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which passed the spending package last week, leaving lawmakers under pressure to strike a deal before the deadline to avoid another government shutdown.