Yet another federal paralysis is hitting the US, throwing the public sector into disarray for a third time in a few months, as Democrats and Republicans failed to compromise on immigration police (ICE) powers, following the recent deaths of two demonstrators that have caused public outcry and protests across the country.
'Donald Trump and Republicans have decided they have no interest on keeping ICE in check', said the head of Democrat House minority MPs Hakeem Jeffreys, in his own interpretation of the shutdown.
On the other side of the aisle, White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt struck down hard on the opposition, claiming on Fox News that the deadlock was a result of 'political and party expediencies'. The Interior Ministry shutdown began at midnight.
What this means
Over the next few days, thousands of federal employees will be placed on 'technical' unemployment, while those working in critical infrastructures will be working without pay, until the ICE conflict is resolved and the ministry's budget goes through.
Nevertheless and despite the Democrat denial of any further funding to the Department of Homeland Security due to the ICE actions, immigration police will be able to operate through the shutdown after Congress approved funding last year.
This will do nothing to ICE
One of the few Democrat senators resisting the shutdown is John Fetterman, who noted that the current paralysis will have 'literally zero repercussions' for ICE. On the contrary, emergency services such as FEMA (under DHS), in charge of crisis management, will be amongst those who will take the hardest blow.
TSA, the organisation overlooking airport security, warned on X that a protracted shutdown will lead to staff shortages with 'significant consequences for airports', bringing cancellations, long delays and passenger queues.
Democrats have declared that they will only lift the shutdown and approve the federal budget when radical changes are implemented to ICE operations across the country.
They demand 'no more air patrols, ICE agents covering their faces and obligatory court orders before making any arrests'.
Growing opposition to ICE practices intensified following the deaths of Renee Goode and Alex Preti last month. They were shot dead by federal officers in Minneapolis.
Hakeem Jeffreys stressed that 'taxpayer dollars should be utilised to reduce the growing living cost and making access to medical services more affordable' and not funding untrained, masked agents, with abusive behaviour.
'Enough,' he said.
Negotiation break down
60 out of 100 votes are needed in the Senate to adopt any public finances bill and in spite of their majority, Republicans require part of the opposition to support them.
The White House had assured yesterday it was committed to 'serious negotiation,' but Senate Republicans told Democrats yesterday that not all their proposals were acceptable.
This will be the third shutdown of President Trump's second term, following the one in early February, also due to the ICE conflict, with the first back in October-November, that lasted a record 43 days.
Source: CNA