In brief
The US government has partially shut down following a funding lapse that began at midnight on Saturday. This occurred after senators reached a temporary agreement to fund most agencies until September, but left the Department of Homeland Security with only two weeks of funding. President Trump negotiated the deal amidst tensions over immigration enforcement tactics following a recent shooting incident. Lawmakers now aim to use the brief funding window to negotiate a comprehensive solution.
The US federal government has partially shutdown despite a last-ditch funding deal approved by the Senate.
The funding lapse began at midnight US eastern time (05:00 GMT) on Saturday, hours after senators agreed to fund most agencies until September. The bill includes just two weeks' funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, instead of shutting it down entirely.
The bill has yet to be approved by the House of Representatives, which is out of session.
US President Donald Trump struck the deal with Democrats after they refused to give more funding for immigration enforcement following the fatal shooting of two US citizens in Minneapolis by federal agents.
It is the second such government shutdown in the past year and comes just 11 weeks after the end of the previous funding impasse that lasted 43 days, the longest in US history.
This shutdown, however, is unlikely to be that long or widespread as the House of Representatives is set to be back in session on Monday.
The White House has directed several agencies, including the departments of transportation, education, and defense to execute shutdown plans.
Trump has urged Republicans, who hold the majority of seats in the US House, to vote for the deal.
Lawmakers plan to use the fortnight in which the DHS will continue to be funded to negotiate a deal. Democrats want that deal to include new policies for immigration enforcement agents.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has stated, We need to rein in ICE and end the violence, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, emphasizing the necessity for oversight and rule changes.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have sharply criticized tactics used by immigration agents in the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last weekend. This incident, where Pretti was shot by a US Border Patrol agent, has initiated a civil rights investigation by the Justice Department.
