A partial government shutdown could begin Saturday, Feb. 14, if Congress and the White House fail to reach a last-minute funding deal, with large parts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) potentially affected. Negotiations have stalled over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy and funding terms, increasing the likelihood of furloughs and disrupted operations across impacted DHS components, according to The Washington Post.
- Deadline: Funding is set to lapse at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, triggering a partial shutdown if no agreement is reached, The Washington Post reported.
- Agencies at risk: The lapse would hit DHS appropriations, with knock-on effects for DHS components whose funding depends on the unresolved bill, according to the report.
- Core dispute: The impasse centers on ICE-related negotiations, which have become the primary obstacle to a broader agreement, The Washington Post reported.
- Workforce impact: DHS components affected by the lapse would prepare for furloughs of non-excepted employees and continuation of excepted (mission-critical) work where permitted under shutdown rules, consistent with longstanding federal shutdown procedures described by OMB guidance and agency contingency planning practices.
- Operations: Even where employees are required to work, shutdown conditions can disrupt contracts, training, travel, hiring actions, and administrative support, depending on what remains funded and what is legally authorized during a lapse, according to prior shutdown plans and federal guidance.
- What to watch: Congressional leaders and the White House are still negotiating a possible stopgap continuing resolution (CR) or a narrower deal to avert a lapse, The Washington Post reported.
Brief context: DHS funding fights have repeatedly driven brinkmanship in recent years because the department’s mission set includes immigration enforcement, border operations, and security programs that draw sharp policy disputes. In a shutdown, agencies typically divide staff into “excepted” and “non-excepted” categories; excepted employees may be required to report for duty but can face delayed pay until appropriations resume, under federal shutdown rules.
For federal employees and service members, the immediate impact depends on whether your position is funded through the affected DHS accounts and whether your role is designated excepted. DHS employees should monitor official instructions from their component (e.g., supervisors, intranet notices, emergency alert systems) and review standard shutdown guidance. For a refresher on how a funding lapse affects pay and duty status, see FedBrief’s shutdown explainer: https://fedbrief.org/.
Source: The Washington Post (Federal Insider), Feb. 12, 2026 — https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/12/congress-homeland-security-shutdown/