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The United States began a partial shutdown of the federal government after negotiations between the White House and Democrats in Congress over the budget for the Department of Homeland Security failed, amid a deep conflict over the rules governing immigration raids.
The agency AP reported that the disagreement centers on the Democrats' demands for increased oversight of federal immigration agents, which has stalled the approval of the necessary funds to finance the Department until September.
The partial closure came into effect on Saturday after both sides failed to reach an agreement before the deadline.
The conflict intensified following the death of two American citizens during federal operations in Minneapolis last month, prompting Democratic lawmakers to call for changes to the operational protocols.
Among the proposed measures are requiring agents to clearly identify themselves, removing masks during operations, wearing visible numbers, using body cameras, and obtaining judicial orders to make arrests on private property.
The administration of President Donald Trump rejected demands regarding the removal of masks and visible identification, stating that officials face risks of harassment and exposure of personal data.
The so-called border czar, Tom Homan, argued that agents must protect themselves while performing their duties.
The closure affects entities such as the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Customs and Border Protection.
Although around 90 percent of the employees in the Department will continue working, they will do so without receiving a salary temporarily.
However, immigration control operations are still underway thanks to additional funds approved in the 2025 tax law, which allocated billions of dollars to strengthen deportations.
Immigration was one of the central themes of Trump's campaign in 2024, and since his return to the White House, the government maintains that it has deported more than 675,000 migrants and that another 2.2 million have left the country voluntarily.
With Congress in recess until February 23 and no signs of rapprochement, the partial shutdown is shaping up as a new political clash in Washington over the scope and oversight of federal immigration policies.
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