House Democrats have broken ranks with Senate leadership and the White House over a government funding agreement, refusing to back a deal brokered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden that would extend federal funding while setting up a future negotiation over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The move has intensified an already volatile budget standoff in Washington and complicated efforts by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to reopen the government.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told Speaker Johnson that Democrats will not help pass the bipartisan funding bill when the House returns to session, according to people familiar with their private discussions.
The disagreement centers on a temporary extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes, among other agencies, ICE — a Department of Homeland Security component that has become a flashpoint in the dispute.
Democrats Balk at ICE Funding Provisions
The Senate on Friday, January 30, 2026, approved a package to fund most of the federal government through the end of September, paired with a two-week continuing resolution for DHS. That approach was designed to give lawmakers additional time to negotiate reforms to ICE and other immigration enforcement policies after high-profile controversies and public backlash flowing from incidents in Minneapolis and elsewhere.
But Jeffries made clear he does not support advancing the measure in its current form, rejecting the notion that House Democrats are obligated to back a deal negotiated by Senate leadership and the White House. That stance effectively pulls support from the bipartisan compromise and leaves Johnson to try to pass the funding measure with only Republican votes once the House reconvenes.
“It’s not just about the deal itself — it’s about whether Democrats are willing to provide the votes needed to move it forward,” said one congressional source. “Jeffries’ position signals a wider distrust of the terms, especially the treatment of ICE and broader DHS funding.”
Implications for the Shutdown Fight
Without Democratic support, the House faces a difficult path to final passage of the spending bills. Johnson’s razor-thin Republican majority will need to navigate procedural hurdles, including a House rule vote and possible opposition from members of his own conference who have their own legislative demands.
The federal government entered a partial shutdown after Congress missed the funding deadline late last month. Although most agencies were covered by the Senate’s bipartisan package, DHS funding remained unresolved, creating pressure on both parties to compromise.
Democratic resistance stems in part from frustration that the Senate deal did not include meaningful reforms to immigration enforcement, particularly regarding ICE operations — an issue that has united progressives and moderates in the party in recent weeks. Among demands are enhanced oversight, limits on certain enforcement practices, and other reforms tied to civil liberties concerns.
House GOP Strategy and Next Steps
Johnson has expressed confidence that Republicans can pass a stopgap spending measure to keep most of the government open and then dedicate time to further negotiations on DHS funding and policy reforms. But with Democrats declining to provide votes, Republicans must now ensure full GOP cohesion — a tough task given ideological differences within the caucus.
The ongoing dispute underscores how immigration policy and enforcement funding have become central fault lines in federal budget negotiations, potentially prolonging the partial shutdown and heightening political pressure on both parties as they try to balance governance with deeply contentious policy goals.
As lawmakers prepare for votes when Congress returns this week, the question of whether a funding breakthrough can be achieved — and on what terms — remains unresolved.
