US Government Reopens

Much of the federal government is in the process of reopening after a brief partial shutdown, as Congress has approved legislation to fund most agencies through the end of the fiscal year and sent it to President Trump, who has said he will sign it immediately.​

What just happened

• A partial shutdown began Saturday after Congress missed a funding deadline for a package of annual spending bills, closing or curtailing operations at several departments and furloughing many federal workers.

• The main fight was over immigration enforcement and funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following controversial enforcement actions and shootings by federal immigration officials.

Today’s reopening move

• The Senate passed a bipartisan deal late last week to fund most of the government through September while handling DHS separately with a short-term extension.

• Today, the House narrowly passed that funding package (a multi‑bill “minibus” plus a short-term DHS measure), overcoming internal GOP resistance and moving the bill to President Trump’s desk.​

• Trump has indicated he will sign the bill immediately, effectively ending the three‑day partial shutdown and allowing shuttered agencies to resume normal operations.​

What’s funded now vs. later

• Fully funded through Sept. 30: Departments such as Treasury, State, Labor, Transportation, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and others are covered by the new multi‑bill funding package.

• Short‑term DHS patch: Funding for the Department of Homeland Security is extended only for about two weeks to allow further negotiations on new limits and accountability measures for immigration enforcement (including ICE and related agencies).

What this means for you

• Many federal services that were slowed or paused during the shutdown (certain agency websites, some processing and customer service functions, and some non‑essential operations) will ramp back up as agencies recall furloughed workers.

• “Essential” services like air traffic control continued during the shutdown, but some FAA staff were furloughed and worked without pay; those operations should normalize once funds flow again and back pay is processed.

• Tax operations at the IRS were largely protected and expected to function at least through early February, but reopening removes uncertainty about longer‑term disruptions as filing season continues.

What’s next politically

• Congress now has roughly 10–14 days (depending on the exact terms of the DHS patch) to negotiate a longer‑term DHS bill that addresses Democratic demands for tighter rules on immigration enforcement and Republican demands for tougher policies and sanctuary‑city restrictions.

• If lawmakers cannot agree on DHS funding before that temporary extension expires, they may either pass another short‑term patch or face a more limited shutdown affecting DHS alone.