The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has entered a partial shutdown after Congress failed to agree on funding. Essential services, including airport security and the U.S. Coast Guard, now face possible disruption. The shutdown became likely on Thursday when the Senate could not reach the 60 votes needed to pass the DHS appropriations bill. Lawmakers left Washington for a long weekend without resolving the impasse. Democrats have tied new funding to reforms in federal immigration operations. The demand comes after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis last month. They want stricter rules for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), both under DHS. ICE and CBP are expected to continue normal operations. Both agencies already have strong funding thanks to last year’s “big beautiful bill” passed under former President Donald Trump. Disruptions are more likely to hit agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Secret Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). TSA staff, including airport screeners and baggage handlers, are expected to keep working over the weekend without pay. This measure aims to avoid travel problems like those during the 43-day government shutdown last year. FEMA workers may be furloughed without pay, which could reduce the agency’s ability to respond to natural disasters or assist state and local partners. Thursday’s Senate vote split along party lines, with a 52-47 result. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to back the bill. Democrats also blocked a proposal to temporarily extend funding for two weeks at current levels. Republicans have agreed to some reforms, such as requiring ICE and CBP agents to wear body cameras. However, they resisted other demands, including the need for judicial warrants before entering private property. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of choosing “chaos” over compromise. He urged them to negotiate legislation that controls ICE operations and prevents further violence. Before the vote, Tom Homan, the U.S. border czar, announced that “Operation Metro Surge” would wind down. ICE agents in Minnesota are expected to return to regular staffing levels. Homan recently took over the operation from Greg Bovino, the senior border patrol official in charge when federal agents killed Good and Pretti. Even though senators are reportedly ready to return for a vote if an agreement is reached, a quick resolution seems unlikely. Many lawmakers have traveled abroad to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives are scheduled for a 10-day recess, coinciding with Presidents’ Day next Monday. This timing increases the chance of an extended partial shutdown. This marks the second partial government shutdown this month. At the end of January, Congress failed to pass five appropriations bills, triggering a four-day shutdown. That ended when lawmakers agreed to fund all agencies for the fiscal year except DHS, which received a two-week extension. The ongoing shutdown highlights the deep divisions in Congress over immigration and homeland security policies. Travelers, disaster relief workers, and federal agencies are now bracing for the impact as political negotiations remain stalled.