The US government has entered a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass the 2026 budget before the deadline. With agencies furloughing staff and talks stalled over immigration issues, here’s what’s affected and what comes next.
US govt enters partial shutdown as budget deadline passes
Washington: The United States government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday after lawmakers failed to pass a federal budget for the 2026 fiscal year before the midnight deadline on January 30. The funding lapse has forced several non-essential government operations to pause, disrupting services across multiple federal agencies.
This is the second shutdown in less than three months, highlighting continued political deadlock in Washington. However, congressional leaders have indicated that the disruption may be short-lived, with action expected when the House of Representatives reconvenes next week.
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The shutdown was triggered after Congress could not approve all required spending bills in time. Without new funding authorisation, several government departments were left without legal authority to continue full operations, leading to furloughs of non-essential staff and suspension of select services.
While the Senate has already passed a temporary funding package, the House has yet to ratify the measure, resulting in the partial closure.
Negotiations broke down following Democratic objections tied to an immigration enforcement incident in Minneapolis, where two protesters were killed during an operation involving federal agents. The incident intensified calls for changes to the Department of Homeland Security’s enforcement practices.
Democratic lawmakers pushed for policy safeguards to be included in the funding legislation, a move that stalled consensus and delayed final approval of the budget.
The current funding lapse follows a previous shutdown that lasted 43 days, the longest in US history. Congressional leaders are now working to secure enough votes to pass the Senate-backed deal when the House resumes sessions, raising hopes that the shutdown will be resolved swiftly.
A partial shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass all 12 annual appropriations bills needed to fund federal agencies. As a result, some departments halt operations entirely, while others function at reduced capacity.
Agencies likely to face temporary disruption include the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) all of which play key roles in economic data, aviation safety, and tax administration.
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Funding has also lapsed for major departments such as Health and Human Services, Defense, Education, Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development. Non-essential employees in these departments have been placed on furlough, meaning unpaid leave until funding is restored.
Essential personnel may continue working without immediate pay, as required under federal law.
Despite the shutdown, the IRS has said that all employees will remain on duty through February 7, as the agency has already begun the annual tax filing season. Any furloughs will depend on how long the shutdown continues.
