Presidential administration: Donald Trump
In 2026, the federal government underwent two partial shutdowns, partially stemming from congressional disputes over immigration enforcement policy following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) (PBS, The Guardian). On January 22, the United States House of Representatives passed the remaining six of the twelve annual appropriations bills. Two days later, Senate Democrats withdrew support for the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding measure—which includes CBP appropriations—advocating instead for a short-term continuing resolution to allow time for reform negotiations.
The first funding lapse lasted from January 31 to February 3 and affected roughly half of federal agencies. Lawmakers ultimately agreed on January 29 to advance five appropriations bills alongside a two-week continuing resolution for DHS, which ended the initial shutdown once the House approved it on February 3. However, negotiations during the extension failed to yield a compromise, leading to a second shutdown beginning February 14 that was limited to the Department of Homeland Security.
The DHS shut-down lasted a record 76 days (CBS News), affecting not just targeted entities like CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but also entities such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, and Transportation Security Authority (TSA). President Trump signed a funding bill on April 30, 2026, ending the partial shutdown for most of DHS, though ICE and CBP required a separate budget reconciliation process (Homeland Security Today).
(This content was created with assistance from generative AI. The content has been reviewed and edited by a human.)
Dates: January 31 – February 3, 2026 and February 14 – April 30, 2026
Impact:
- TSA workers unpaid, travel delays (Reuters) and more than 1,000 TSA employees resigned (USA Today)
- Emergency management and disaster response impaired (PBS, DHS)
- Federal worker morale and recruitment hurt (Federal News Network)
- Economic growth slowed (Brookings)
- Delayed disaster reimbursements and training hinder local preparedness (National League of Cities)
Related Resources:
- 2025 (FY2026) Government Shutdown: Economic Effects [January 29, 2026]
- Government Shutdowns and Executive Branch Operations: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) [Updated January 15, 2026]
- National Park Service: Government Shutdown Issues [Updated January 22, 2026]
- Past Government Shutdowns: Key Resources [Updated September 30, 2025]
- Defense Budget: Effects of Continuing Resolutions on Selected Activities and Programs Critical to DOD’s National Security Mission, Report to Congressional Committees
- Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview [Updated December 18, 2025]
HSDL Featured Topics: Federal Workforce Challenges | Military Role in Homeland Security | Border Security
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