(DDM) – A partial government shutdown has affected the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after Congress failed to approve funding for the agency before the February 13 deadline.
DHS is now the only federal department without full funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, which runs through September 30.
Despite the lapse in appropriations, the majority of DHS employees are expected to remain at work under federal contingency plans.
However, many of those workers may not receive paychecks until Congress passes a funding measure and the shutdown ends.
The public is unlikely to experience immediate disruptions in critical services, as essential personnel will continue operating under existing emergency authorities.
DHS oversees a broad range of national security and public safety functions.
These include border security, airport screening, disaster response, cybersecurity, and immigration enforcement.
Agencies under DHS, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are expected to maintain operations during the funding lapse.
Lawmakers had previously passed a series of spending bills to fund the rest of the federal government after a record-long shutdown ended in mid-November.
At the end of January, Congress approved a temporary funding extension for DHS lasting only two weeks.
The short-term measure was intended to give lawmakers additional time to negotiate proposed reforms to the agency’s immigration enforcement policies.
The debate intensified after a January incident in Minneapolis in which federal immigration agents fatally shot two US citizens.
The incident prompted calls from Senate Democrats for changes to DHS oversight and immigration enforcement procedures.
Disagreements over those reforms reportedly contributed to the failure to pass a longer-term funding agreement before the deadline.
Under federal shutdown rules, “essential” employees — including many law enforcement officers, security personnel, and emergency responders — must continue working without immediate pay.
Non-essential staff may be furloughed until funding is restored.
Historically, federal workers required to work during shutdowns receive back pay once Congress approves funding legislation.
While most DHS functions will continue, prolonged funding gaps could strain morale and create administrative backlogs.
Political analysts note that partial shutdowns often become leverage points in broader policy disputes between Congress and the executive branch.
Negotiations are expected to continue as lawmakers seek a compromise that addresses immigration enforcement reforms while restoring full operational funding to DHS.
