Government shutdown 2026: partial federal shutdown underway as House votes loom

The federal government is partially shut down as of Monday afternoon Feb. 2, 2026 (ET), after funding for several major departments lapsed over the weekend amid a standoff over Homeland Security and ICE policy. The shutdown is not total: many agencies remain funded through the end of the fiscal year, but a significant slice of federal operations is running on contingency plans while lawmakers try to pass a stopgap package.

The next major inflection point is a House vote expected Tuesday, Feb. 3 (ET), after the Senate approved a short-term deal late last week that would reopen the affected parts of government and create a brief negotiating window focused on immigration enforcement rules.

Is the government shut down right now?

Yes—a partial government shutdown is in effect.

Funding lapsed at 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, after Congress did not clear the final legislative steps needed to keep all remaining departments funded. That lapse has now carried into the new week as House leaders work to line up votes.

The shutdown is “partial” because Congress has already passed a large portion of annual funding earlier in the cycle, keeping many core programs running uninterrupted. The fight is concentrated on the remaining bills, especially funding and oversight terms tied to the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

What’s driving the shutdown: ICE funding and enforcement rules

The immediate dispute centers on conditions attached to immigration enforcement—how arrests are carried out, what documentation is required, and what accountability measures apply in the field. Democrats have pushed for tighter guardrails and oversight, including requirements tied to identification and recording, and limits on certain enforcement tactics.

The issue intensified after a widely publicized Minneapolis incident in which federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens last month. That episode became a catalyst for demands to rewrite parts of the DHS funding bill rather than simply extend current practices.

The Senate’s compromise approach split the problem in two: keep most of the government funded through September, while granting DHS only a short patch so negotiations on enforcement policy could continue.

What the Senate passed and what the House is voting on

The Senate approved a package on Friday, Jan. 30 (ET) designed to restore funding for most affected agencies and avoid a longer disruption. The deal also sets a brief negotiating window for DHS-specific policy changes, rather than forcing an all-or-nothing confrontation at once.

The House, however, must still approve the Senate-passed plan. House leadership has indicated it is working toward a vote by Tuesday, but passage is not automatic. Some Democrats argue the proposal does not go far enough on immigration enforcement limits, while some conservatives object to any short-term DHS extension that looks like a concession.

Here’s the situation as of Monday, Feb. 2 (ET):

What’s still operating, and what changes for workers and services

Even in a partial shutdown, many critical functions continue. Personnel deemed essential—including military service members and many safety-related roles—remain on duty. The immediate difference often shows up in pay timing and administrative capacity: workers can be required to report even if pay is delayed until funding is restored, and some offices may scale back services.

Travel-related impacts are a common concern. Air traffic control and core transportation safety functions typically keep running, but staffing strain and delayed back-office processing can ripple into the public experience if the shutdown persists.

Some federal services that rely heavily on discretionary funding can face quicker slowdowns. Agencies may pause training, travel, non-urgent contracts, and certain public-facing activities depending on their shutdown plans and which accounts are affected.

What to watch: Senate votes, House math, and the risk of another shutdown

The near-term question is simple: can the House pass the reopening package with a narrow margin and internal party divisions?

Beyond that, the shutdown fight has been structured to return quickly. Even if the government reopens this week, DHS funding is being handled on a shorter clock, meaning another shutdown risk could re-emerge when the short extension expires unless negotiators lock in a longer deal.

Key signals in the next 48 hours include:

• Whether House leaders schedule a clean vote or add unrelated policy riders

• Whether enough Democrats support reopening while continuing DHS negotiations

• Whether Senate leaders outline a concrete timeline for DHS and ICE reform votes during the negotiating window

Sources consulted: Associated Press; Reuters; ABC News; PBS NewsHour