As midnight approaches on February 14, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is bracing for a shutdown, marking yet another episode in Washington’s ongoing struggle to fund core government functions. The impasse, fueled by deep divisions over immigration enforcement, threatens to disrupt the operations of agencies critical to national security and public safety—including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Secret Service. The standoff is the third government funding lapse of President Donald Trump’s second term, and the stakes this time are particularly high.
According to CNN and Nexstar Media Inc., the immediate cause of the looming shutdown is a deadlock in the Senate. On February 13, Senate Democrats blocked a series of funding bills, demanding sweeping reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the wake of two fatal shootings in Minneapolis that have ignited scrutiny of DHS practices. With negotiations at a standstill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have both instructed their colleagues to be prepared to return to the Capitol on short notice should a last-minute agreement materialize.
President Trump, meanwhile, has struck a cautious—and at times confrontational—tone. Speaking to reporters before departing for a visit to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he said, “We’ll see what happens,” when asked about the prospects for a deal to avert the shutdown. He added, “Democrats have gone crazy, but we’re talking.” Trump has maintained that law enforcement agencies like ICE and border patrol have done “a great job” under his administration, and he expressed satisfaction with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership. Yet, he also signaled a willingness to negotiate, telling reporters he remains open to discussions with Democrats on both funding and immigration enforcement reforms.
The list of Democratic demands is long and, to Republicans, contentious. As outlined by CNN, Democrats are calling for the end of so-called “roving” ICE patrols, independent oversight of the agency, a ban on deporting U.S. citizens, and a prohibition on ICE agents wearing masks. They also insist that immigration warrants be signed by judges, not ICE officials. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has described the necessary policy changes as needing to be “bold, meaningful, and transformational.” Republicans, however, remain steadfast in their opposition. House Speaker Mike Johnson has argued that requiring judicial warrants would “shut down the deportation of virtually all illegal immigrants.”
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, urged bipartisan cooperation, emphasizing that ICE needs reform but also has a “legitimate role to play, securing our borders.” She warned, “They do not have a role terrorizing American citizens, shooting people in the streets as roving bands with masks. That is not what Americans want to see.” Shaheen expressed hope that the Trump administration would come to the table, underscoring that this is “an American concern right now.”
Despite the threat of a shutdown, the practical impact on DHS’s day-to-day operations may be limited—at least in the short term. More than 90% of the department’s 272,000 employees, including over 93% of ICE and Customs and Border Protection staff, are expected to continue working, though most will do so without pay until funding is restored. DHS also has access to financial reserves thanks to a $165 billion boost from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last summer, which funneled $75 billion to ICE and $64 billion to Customs and Border Protection. Secretary Noem has broad authority to reallocate these funds to sustain essential operations.
Meanwhile, as the funding crisis played out in Washington, President Trump traveled to Fort Bragg to honor U.S. military personnel involved in the January 3 operation that resulted in the capture of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Addressing the troops, Trump declared, “Some of our greatest soldiers, right here, to ever live, frankly, successfully captured the outlaw dictator of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and brought him back to face American justice.” He praised the courage and professionalism of the service members, calling them “among America’s greatest.”
Trump’s remarks also touched on the evolving relationship between the United States and Venezuela. He lauded acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, stating, “The relationship we have right now with Venezuela is now a 10.” He credited Rodríguez with doing “a very, very good job,” and highlighted burgeoning cooperation on oil production and refining. While Trump hinted at a possible visit to Venezuela, he said no date had been set.
Beyond the Western Hemisphere, Trump’s administration is also keeping a wary eye on developments in the Middle East. On February 13, the president announced the deployment of a second U.S. aircraft carrier group, the USS Gerald Ford, to the region as a precaution in case diplomatic efforts with Iran falter. “In case we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it,” Trump said, adding that if negotiations succeed, the ships would be withdrawn. He issued a stark warning: “If they’re not, it’s going to be a very bad day for Iran.”
Elsewhere, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is representing the administration at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where he is joined by over 50 members of Congress. According to CNN, Rubio is expected to discuss Ukraine, Greenland, and the shifting global order. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in remarks at the conference, noted that “the United States’ claim to leadership has been challenged, and possibly lost,” but also called for renewed efforts to repair transatlantic relations. Merz added pointedly, “The battle of cultures of MAGA in the US is not ours. Freedom of speech, here, ends where the words spoken are directed against human dignity and our basic law.”
Back home, the fallout from recent DHS operations is still being felt. In Minnesota, the controversial Operation Metro Surge—once the largest immigration enforcement action in U.S. history—has officially ended, though a “small footprint” of officers remains for ongoing investigations. The operation, which deployed some 3,000 federal officers, sparked weeks of protests and resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has called for federal compensation for economic damage sustained by local businesses during the crackdown, saying, “The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here.”
As the shutdown deadline looms, both sides remain dug in. Democrats insist on meaningful reforms to ICE and broader immigration enforcement, while Republicans argue that such changes would undermine border security. The White House, for its part, is keeping all options on the table, even as President Trump spends the weekend at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. For DHS employees and the millions of Americans who rely on their services, the coming days promise uncertainty and, perhaps, more political brinkmanship.
With the clock ticking, Washington’s leaders face a familiar but no less consequential test: Can they bridge their differences in time to keep the nation’s security apparatus running?