With no agreement on DHS funding, Congress leaves town [View all]

Source: Roll Call

Posted February 12, 2026 at 4:56pm


Lawmakers left Washington on Thursday without a deal on an immigration enforcement overhaul, virtually guaranteeing a partial shutdown of the Homeland Security Department when current funding runs out this weekend. Unless progress is made, neither chamber is expected to return to the Capitol next week, when Congress is scheduled to be in recess.

Bipartisan negotiations on an immigration plan were expected to continue over the recess. Leaders of both chambers told members they would be given 48 hours notice to return to the Capitol if a deal is reached.

The decision to leave came after the Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to move forward on a House-passed full-year Homeland Security appropriations bill. The vote was 52-47, with all Democrats except Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania in opposition. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., flipped his vote to a “no” when it was clear the motion lacked enough support, in order to be able to reconsider the vote at a later time.

After the vote, Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, immediately brought up a motion for a two-week continuing resolution under unanimous consent. “We are working in good faith to find a pathway forward,” she said. “What we’re asking is ‘let us continue to do that.’” Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., objected, saying Democrats had not received text from the White House until Wednesday night — “far too late to be able to engage in any compromise before the deadline.”

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/02/12/with-no-agreement-on-dhs-funding-congress-leaves-town/