The U.S. Senate reconvened at 3 p.m. ET on Monday, March 2, 2026, as a vote loomed to potentially end a 17-day partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security.

The shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. on February 14, when funding for DHS expired following the failure to pass a continuing resolution during a congressional recess. It marks the second funding lapse of 2026, after a four-day shutdown from January 31 to February 3 that affected multiple agencies. This partial lapse primarily impacts DHS components reliant on annual appropriations, including the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, though Immigration and Customs Enforcement, most Border Patrol operations, and the Coast Guard remain funded through prior allocations like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Disputes center on Democratic demands for reforms to immigration enforcement agencies following the January 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis. Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have blocked the House-passed H.R. 7147, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026, unless it includes measures such as body cameras for agents, bans on face masks, requirements for judicial warrants in home searches, and restrictions on operations near sensitive locations. Schumer vowed to vote no on the bill without these changes.

Republicans, including Majority Leader John Thune, have resisted what they call excessive bureaucracy that endangers agents, pushing instead for a clean funding extension. The White House, under President Donald Trump, issued a counteroffer on February 27 to fund DHS, but Democrats indicated they would not yield without reining in ICE tactics.

The Senate previously voted 50-45 to advance a House-passed DHS bill last week, but it stalled amid ongoing talks. Monday's proceedings include a scheduled 5:30 p.m. vote on cloture for the motion to proceed to H.R. 6644, a bipartisan housing bill, though expectations persist for action on DHS funding.

Shutdown effects have mounted, with TSA officers facing their first missed paychecks this week, contributing to flight delays and prompting lawmakers from both parties to explore reallocating funds from border security to airport screening. DHS briefly suspended Global Entry on February 22 before reversing a TSA PreCheck halt, and non-disaster FEMA responses remain paused. Senators like Jacky Rosen and Dick Durbin warned of broader economic fallout from air travel disruptions.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and the House panel on Wednesday. Negotiators continue discussions, with Thune open to temporary shifts amid external pressures like tensions with Iran.