Trending 
The United States government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday after Congress failed to pass a 2026 budget before a midnight deadline.
Lawmakers from both parties said the shutdown is likely to be short. The House of Representatives is expected to vote early next week on a Senate-backed deal.
Budget talks collapsed after Democrats refused to approve new funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Their opposition followed the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents.
Democrats said they will not approve more money for immigration enforcement without new rules and oversight.
Sen. Dick Durbin accused the administration of targeting protesters instead of criminals.
“Instead of going after drug smugglers, child predators, and human traffickers, the Trump Administration is wasting valuable resources targeting peaceful protestors in Chicago and Minneapolis,” Durbin said in a social media post.
“This administration continues to make Americans less safe,” he added.
About three-quarters of the federal authorities’ operations are affected. Agencies covering education, health, housing, and defence began preparing shutdown plans overnight.
If the shutdown lasts only a few days, the impact is expected to be limited. If it lasts longer, tens of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or forced to work without pay until funding is restored.
The Senate passed a package late Friday that cleared five outstanding funding bills to cover most federal agencies through September, along with a two-week stopgap measure to keep DHS operating while lawmakers continue to negotiate immigration enforcement policy.
The House of Representatives was not in session when the deadline passed. It is scheduled to return on Monday.
If the House approves the Senate deal, government funding could be restored within days.
President Donald Trump backed the Senate plan and called for quick action.
“I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the government without delay,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social Thursday evening.
The Office of Management and Budget late Friday directed agencies to prepare for an “orderly shutdown”, adding, “It is our hope that this lapse will be short.”
