On what date did DHS funding expire in February 2026, triggering a partial government shutdown?

On February 13, 2026, funding for the Department of Homeland (Review) Security (DHS) expired, initiating a partial government shutdown. This specific date marked the end of a short-term spending measure that had been put in place to allow for further negotiations. While most other federal agencies had secured their funding through September 30, 2026, the DHS budget remained a point of contention in Congress.

The primary reason for the funding lapse stemmed from a deep disagreement between congressional Democrats and the White House over immigration policy. Democrats had insisted on new restrictions and oversight for federal immigration agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), particularly following incidents involving federal agents. Republicans and the administration largely opposed these demands, leading to an impasse that prevented a full-year appropriations bill for DHS from passing.

Despite the partial shutdown, many of the approximately 250,000 DHS employees, including those in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Coast Guard, were deemed essential and continued to report to work without pay. While critical functions like border security and airport screening largely continued, the lack of funding created uncertainty for workers and could impact services such as disaster response efforts managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This situation highlighted the recurring challenges in the federal budget process, where disagreements over specific policy areas can lead to significant disruptions in government operations.