The partial government shutdown could heavily impact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) services like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), airport security, police response, cybersecurity support, and more.

The short-term budget extension for DHS ended without an agreement resolving negotiations on immigration enforcement. The budget agreement reached on February 5 funded federal agencies (other than DHS) through the end of September but only provided a short-term extension until February 13 for DHS.

While many activities within DHS, such as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport operations, are considered essential activities that require associated federal employees to continue working, there may be increased reliance on local governments if the negotiations are prolonged.

Read this article from the National League of Cities (NLC) on potential impacts to cities related to cybersecurity, FEMA recovery reimbursements, and airport operations if the DHS shutdown is longer than anticipated.

FEMA impacts on Washington’s flood recovery efforts

NLC reports that disaster recovery and preparedness would be impacted. Delays in FEMA reimbursement and grant processing could mean that local governments are on the hook to cover response and recovery costs on their own for longer.

On February 19, AWC sent a letter to the White House urging support for Gov. Bob Ferguson’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance in response to statewide flooding in December 2025. FEMA’s Public Assistance Program allows for up to 75% federal reimbursement for qualifying repairs to local infrastructure to clear debris and repair damage to things like roads, bridges, buildings, utilities, water facilities, parks, and more.

Upon emailing the letter, we received out-of-office automatic replies from the DHS and FEMA employees indicating they are furloughed until the end of the shutdown. It is unclear how our request might be managed during the partial shutdown.

Last month, we also sent a similar letter urging federal individual assistance support for flood survivors, which the Governor’s Office says is still pending.

Federal government shutdown ends with short-term extension for DHS

February 6, 2026

The House voted to reopen the federal government on February 4. The bill signed into law on February 5 approves most remaining federal budgets through September 30 and the Senate’s proposal for a short-term extension for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) until February 13. The short-term extension is intended to allow for continued negotiations around DHS immigration enforcement.

For more information, read this article from the National League of Cities regarding the ongoing discussions and impacts for cities.

Federal budget deal means short partial federal government shutdown

February 2, 2026

This update is from our partners at the National League of Cities.

Consideration of the final six FY2026 appropriations bills are moving in a positive direction, but a short-term lapse of funding will be unavoidable to accomplish the procedural steps necessary to execute the spending deal negotiated between the White House and Congressional leaders. As a result, at midnight, Friday, January 30, there will technically be a partial government shutdown at the federal level. The length of the partial shutdown is likely to be negligible, with the House returning for final votes on appropriations next week. The Senate will vote on seven amendments to the spending package before the final vote, but we do not yet know what those amendments are.

To recap, Congress has approved and the President has signed six FY2026 appropriations bills. Agencies funded under these six bills will not be impacted by any partial government shutdown. Normal operations will continue uninterrupted for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs.

Appropriations bills yet to be enacted will experience a lapse of funding, and the agencies funded by those bills will be subject to the partial government shutdown. As with a complete shutdown, if the funding lapse is only a matter of days, practical impacts on cities and towns are likely to range from little to none. Agencies subject to the partial shutdown include the Departments of Housing, Transportation, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Treasury, State, non-essential Defense operations, and Homeland Security.

How we got here

Last week, the House approved the remaining six FY2026 appropriations bills and delivered the six-bill package to the Senate as one large single bill, which would have substantially reduced the time necessary for Senate consideration. The assumption at that time was that a supermajority of 60 or more senators would support passage of the combined bill before tonight's midnight deadline. However, before the Senate could act, controversial ICE actions resulting in loss of life in Minneapolis, Minnesota, took place. Following that, supermajority support was lost in the Senate on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, particularly Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Because the Senate received all six appropriations bills as one legislative package, any change to Homeland Security appropriations means the Senate must send all six bills back to the House for a new vote.

The White House and Senate majority and minority leaders have announced a deal is in place for the Senate to approve full FY2026 appropriations for all remaining federal agencies except for the Department of Homeland Security. As part of the deal, the Department of Homeland Security alone would get a new short-term two-week extension of funding to allow time for detailed negotiations over new limits and procedural requirements on Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

However, making any change to the existing package opens the possibility of additional changes, and according to House and Senate leaders, various members of Congress are pursuing additional changes or other concessions from leadership in return for supporting the deal currently in place. Late Friday, the Senate considered seven amendments to the package before passing the deal. None other than procedural amendments were approved. This week, the House will have to vote again on the six remaining appropriations bills and approve them without amendment before they can reach the President for enactment.

In the House, according to reports, the Democratic minority has not agreed to support the funding deal. If nothing changes after sending this note, Speaker Mike Johnson will attempt to pass the deal with mostly Republican support on Tuesday. If that fails, majority and minority leaders will have to return to the bargaining table, and the partial government shutdown may stretch longer into the week.