Senate Democrats are closing in on a deal with the White House to implement sweeping reforms to how federal immigration officers operate while also avoiding a long-term shutdown that could take effect this weekend.
The deal being negotiated between Democratic leaders and top Trump administration officials would strip the DHS portion from the funding package and replace it with a short-term extension of current spending levels until the reform framework is finished. That would buy lawmakers time to negotiate new limits for immigration officers while avoiding a shutdown on the dozens of other departments and federal agencies.
The Senate failed to advance the final spending package of the 2026 fiscal year, which would fund the departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Transportation, among other things. The procedural vote failed to overcome the 60-vote threshold after seven Republicans, including Utah Sen. Mike Lee, joined all Democrats in opposing the measure.
“I think there are a lot of Republicans, as you might expect, who are unhappy that the Dems decided to, you know, go against the deal that they had helped negotiate, and it had passed the House with an overwhelming majority,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said after the vote. “So I think that’s probably a statement to that effect.”
Lee had earlier expressed opposition to detaching the DHS portion from the rest of the package. He did not comment after the vote.
Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, voted to advance the package. The procedural vote failed in a 45-55 vote.
However, the spending bill is not dead in the water. Thune changed his vote to oppose the package, allowing him to then file a motion to reconsider. In doing so, it opens the door for party leaders to finalize a compromise deal that can be voted on later today or on Friday.
Detaching the Homeland Security portion would be a significant reversal from the White House after senior officials said on Wednesday they wanted the six-bill package to go through as-is. Thune on Thursday declined to say whether he had gotten confirmation from the president he explicitly supports that, but he is “hopeful” they are close to a deal.
“I’ll let the White House speak for themselves, but there have been very constructive discussions and conversations I’ve been a part of,” Thune said.
A White House official told the Deseret News that Trump has been engaged in talks with both parties “to ensure the American people don’t have to endure another shutdown.”
“President Trump has been consistent – he wants the government to remain open," the official said. “A shutdown would risk disaster response funding and more vital resources for the American people.”
What changes do Democrats want to see with ICE?
The compromise is not yet final, and details of how long the temporary extension would last are not yet clear. But it comes after Senate Democrats released a list of three demands on Wednesday to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Those demands include tightened rules on requiring warrants for arrests; prohibiting agents from wearing masks and requiring them to wear body cameras and identification; and implementing a universal code of conduct for use-of-force policies that reflect what is required by state and local law enforcement officials.
Those demands are likely to be changed as negotiations continue in order to get Republicans on board, but the list offered a starting point for bipartisan talks this week.
Still, there are obstacles that remain.
Due to procedural rules in the Senate, it’s not clear how quickly party leaders could get an adjusted spending package through the chamber ahead of the shutdown deadline. Federal funding is scheduled to lapse at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday.
Even if the Senate can approve the updated package, it would need to go back to the House for approval before it can be sent to President Donald Trump’s desk. The House is not scheduled to return until Monday, and weather conditions in Washington could prevent them from returning early this weekend.
House GOP leadership will hold a call Thursday afternoon to discuss a path forward. There are currently no plans to bring lawmakers back early, a source familiar with the schedule told the Deseret News.