US govt's partial shutdown ends, Trump signs funding bill but DHS headache persists – Firstpost

US govt’s partial shutdown ends, Trump signs funding bill but DHS headache persists – Firstpost

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President Trump signed a $1.2 trillion funding bill ending a partial government shutdown. While most federal agencies are funded through September, the Department of Homeland Security received only temporary backing

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a roughly $1.2 trillion government funding bill, formally ending a partial federal shutdown that began over the weekend after Congress failed to pass full-year spending legislation.

The measure, approved by the House of Representatives in a narrow 217-214 vote, keeps most of the federal government open through September 30 but allocates only short-term funds for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), setting up a new political battle over immigration funding and enforcement.

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Shutdown ends, but DHS funding deadline looms

The bill provides full fiscal year funding to 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, covering major departments such as Defense, Health and Human Services, Education and State. However, DHS—the agency that oversees immigration enforcement—was funded only through Feb 13 under a temporary continuing resolution.

Democrats have insisted that they will not back further funding for DHS without significant reforms to immigration enforcement policies, particularly in the wake of
public outrage over fatal encounters between federal agents and US citizens in Minneapolis.

“This bill is a great victory for the American people,” Trump said after signing the legislation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson described passage of the funding plan as a responsible step toward regularising government appropriations, with about 96% of federal operations funded.

But congressional Democrats, led by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have signalled continued resistance to extending DHS funding without changes to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and related agencies. Rep. Pete Aguilar of California criticised the Trump administration’s handling of federal immigration operations, saying, “Donald Trump and Kristi Noem have been using Americans taxpayer dollars to terrorise law abiding immigrants, kill US citizens, detain children and endanger communities.”

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Fresh battle ahead

The short funding window for DHS means lawmakers must return to negotiations in the coming days. Democrats are demanding reforms such as mandatory body cameras for immigration officers, banning masks during operations and limiting roving patrols, before agreeing to long-term funding.

The compromise bill avoids an omnibus package this year, but intense debate over immigration enforcement, particularly the role and accountability of ICE, is likely to consume Congress in the run-up to the Feb 13 deadline.

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