The US government has entered another partial shutdown after Congress failed to approve the 2026 federal budget by the Saturday midnight deadline, halting key funding allocations and triggering a lapse in several government operations. The deadlock intensified following the deaths of two protesters at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, an incident that sparked strong backlash from Democrats, who subsequently blocked discussions on Homeland Security funding, pushing budget talks into stalemate.
The shutdown is partial, as departments including Agriculture, Justice, National Parks, and Veterans Services already have full-year funding and remain largely unaffected. However, agencies such as Treasury, Defense, Transportation, and Health are operating under shutdown protocols, with non-essential services temporarily suspended.
Analysts believe the disruption could be short-lived, with expectations that the House of Representatives may approve a Senate-backed agreement early next week, potentially allowing federal operations to resume by Monday. This marks the second government shutdown in the past year, reviving memories of the record 43-day closure — the longest in US history.
Since 1981, the US government has shut down 16 times, underscoring recurring budget standoffs in Washington. The 2018–19 shutdown lasted nearly 35 days during Donald Trump’s presidency. While the duration of the current shutdown remains uncertain, officials say negotiations are ongoing to restore funding and reopen affected agencies.