A key vote intended to head off a partial government shutdown failed in the Senate on Thursday, after Democrats refused to back funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless it included reforms to federal agents involved in Donald Trump\u2019s mass deportation campaign.<\/p>\n
However a Senate aide confirmed that Democrats have been negotiating with Republicans on a deal that could result in passage of most government funding bills and a short-term measure covering the DHS, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the US border patrol.<\/p>\n
The intention would be to buy time for further talks over Democrats\u2019 demands for changes to immigration enforcement in the wake of the deaths of US citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, which include an end to mask wearing by federal agents, the imposition of a code of conduct and independent investigations of its violations.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, the procedural vote\u2019s failure in the Senate appears to guarantee at least a partial government shutdown beginning after Friday, when the current spending authorizations for many government departments expire. Any changes to the DHS funding bill would have to be approved by the House of Representatives, which is out of session until Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cRepublicans in Congress cannot allow this violent status quo to continue. They must work with Democrats on legislation, real legislation, strong legislation to rein ICE in,\u201d the Senate\u2019s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, said before the vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cDemocrats are ready to pass five bipartisan funding bills in the Senate, we\u2019re ready to pass them today. We\u2019re ready to fund 96% of the federal government today, but the DHS bill still needs a lot of work.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Republican Senate majority leader, John Thune, had asked the chamber to pass a package of six bills that would fund through September departments including homeland security, defense, labor, and health and human services. The House of Representatives approved the measures last week, but Democratic senators rejected the DHS funding bill following the Saturday shooting death of Alex Pretti in Minnesota\u2019s largest city by federal agents<\/p>\n
Schumer demanded that the DHS bill be set aside so that reforms to agents\u2019 conduct could be written into it, but Thune declined, setting the stage for Thursday\u2019s failed vote, which required at least some Democratic support to clear the filibuster\u2019s 60-vote threshold in the Senate.<\/p>\n
All 47 Democratic senators voted against advancing the package, along with seven Republican senators. Thune also voted no so that he could bring the measure back up for consideration in the future.<\/p>\n
A Senate aide confirmed to the Guardian that the two sides had been discussing a deal to fund the DHS for the short term and the rest of the government through the fiscal year, but emphasized that the talks remained fluid.<\/p>\n
Signs have meanwhile emerged that Republicans are looking to compromise, with Trump acknowledging the negotiations during a cabinet meeting at the White House. \u201cI think we\u2019re getting close,\u201d he said, adding: \u201cHopefully we won\u2019t have a shutdown.\u201d<\/p>\n
A White House official said that the president \u201cwants the government to remain open, and the administration has been working with both parties to ensure the American people don\u2019t have to endure another shutdown\u201d.<\/p>\n