No Government Shutdown: Democrats and Republicans Reach an Agreement
A last-minute agreement prevented a shutdown of the US government and kept services running, though the risk remains.
Publicado el 31/01/2026 a las 03:17
- US Congress avoids a federal government shutdown
- Immigration at the center of budget tensions
- Political agreement is only temporary
The United States avoided another federal government shutdown thanks to an agreement reached between Democrats, Republicans, and the White House just hours before the deadline.
The deal guarantees funding for most federal agencies and grants a temporary extension for the Department of Homeland Security, one of the main points of contention.
Bipartisan agreement prevents a new US government shutdown
The solution splits the budget into two parts, allowing general funding to move forward while provisionally extending the DHS budget.
Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate and the White House reached a bipartisan funding agreement to avoid a new federal government shutdown at midnight on Friday, according to media reports. https://t.co/mRed1Vknp1
— Joaquín López-Dóriga (@lopezdoriga) January 30, 2026
The agreement was confirmed by congressional sources and finalized after days of intense negotiations in the United States Congress Senate.
ICE operations at the center of the dispute
The discussions focused on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Democrats sought to pressure changes to immigration enforcement tactics as part of the US government shutdown agreement negotiations.
The agreed extension will last two weeks, until February 13, a key concession to avoid an immediate government shutdown.
During that period, lawmakers will attempt to negotiate reforms related to agents’ use of face coverings and the implementation of body cameras.
The debate intensified after the deaths of two civilians during immigration operations in Minneapolis, an incident that sparked widespread public outrage.
The White House defends the last-minute bipartisan agreement in the Senate
After the agreement became public, President Donald Trump said he is working “hard” with Congress to ensure full government funding without interruptions.
“The only thing that can stop the country is another long and damaging government shutdown,” he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The president emphasized that both parties managed to come together to avoid a scenario that could affect essential services and the economy.
The agreement also allows key agencies to remain operational while broader negotiations continue.
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The memory of the last shutdown still pressures Congress
The United States recently experienced the longest government shutdown in its history, lasting 43 days between October and November 2025.
That episode left thousands of federal employees temporarily without pay and caused significant economic losses.
The memory of that shutdown contributed to the urgency to reach a new deal, even amid deep divisions between both parties.
Although the shutdown was avoided for now, the solution is temporary and foreshadows new political battles in the coming weeks over immigration and national security under the ongoing US government shutdown agreement.
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