Senate Reaches Deal to Fund Government, Avert Shutdown

The U.S. Senate has reached a deal to fund the government past the shutdown deadline while continuing negotiations on ICE, a source confirms.

The U.S. Senate has reached a last-minute agreement to fund the federal government and avert a partial shutdown, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The deal extends current funding levels through a short-term continuing resolution (CR), providing additional weeks for lawmakers to finalize full-year appropriations bills. Crucially, the agreement allows contentious negotiations over funding and policy for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to continue separately, decoupling this issue from the immediate shutdown threat.

The breakthrough follows intense bipartisan negotiations focused on separating the must-pass government funding measure from the highly polarized debate over immigration enforcement. The short-term CR is expected to maintain existing spending levels and operations for all agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, while giving appropriators a defined period to resolve specific disagreements on ICE detention levels, border security technology, and enforcement priorities.

“This agreement prevents a harmful shutdown and keeps the government working for the American people while we finish the job on full-year funding,” said a senior Senate negotiator. A congressional aide added, “By moving the ICE debate to a separate track, we have cleared the path to keep the lights on. The hard work on immigration funding continues.”

This development is critical for government operations and stability, preventing disruptions to federal services, military pay, and agency functions. It reflects a strategic decision to isolate the most divisive issues from the basic function of keeping the government open, a tactic used to manage legislative gridlock. The ongoing ICE talks will now determine the scope and resources for the administration's immigration enforcement strategy in the final annual spending package.

The Senate is expected to vote on the short-term funding measure imminently, followed by the House. Leadership in both chambers has expressed confidence the bill will pass before the shutdown deadline. Further updates on the timeline for final appropriations and the status of the parallel ICE negotiations are expected in the coming days.