Talks to avert a US government shutdown have intensified in Washington DC, with officials reportedly moving towards an agreement in negotiations over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operation.
Democrats have been pushing to remove funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a $1.2tn (£870bn) government spending package following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday.
US media report that the White House and Senate Democratic leadership are nearing an agreement which would meet Democratic demands to introduce new restrictions on federal immigration agents. It would mean five of the six spending bills could be passed before the Friday deadline, while the DHS one would get a short-term extension to allow time for more discussion on the proposed new restrictions, like around the use of masks by agents.
If no deal is struck, the second shutdown within months will begin at one minute after midnight on Friday 30 January.
The spending bill has already passed in the House of Representatives but needs 60 Senate votes to advance. Among the changes Democrats are seeking are requirements that federal agents obtain warrants before making arrests and clearer rules governing how they identify themselves, according to US media reports.
There are only 53 Republican senators in the 100-member body, meaning that passing the bill will require at least some support from Democratic members. Earlier this week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: 'I will vote no on any legislation that funds ICE until it is reined in and overhauled, and Senate Democrats are overwhelmingly united on this issue.'
Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that 'productive' negotiations are ongoing. If changes are made, the bill will need to be re-approved by the House, which is currently on recess.
On Wednesday, some Senate Democrats escalated their demands, expressly calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's removal and structural changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Border Patrol.
'This madness,' Schumer said, 'this terror must stop.'
Some Republicans pushed back, with Texas's John Cornyn saying that 'any changes must not come at the expense of shutting down the government.'
If a shutdown does occur, not all federal operations will come to a halt. Several agencies will continue to function, as previous legislation already ensured funding for many through the end of the 2026 fiscal year.
