Timeline
February 14, 2026 — February 20, 2026
World
Timeline: How the DHS Shutdown Over Immigration Enforcement Unfolded Over 7 Days
A budget standoff between Democrats and the Trump administration led to a partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security starting February 14, 2026. The dispute centered on Democratic demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices following fatal shootings in Minneapolis. This timeline tracks the shutdown from its beginning through failed negotiations and expanding impacts on federal operations.
11 events · 7 days · 28 source articles
Sat, Feb 14, 2026
Major
DHS funding expires, triggering partial government shutdown
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed at midnight, marking the third government shutdown of Trump's second term. The shutdown occurred after Democrats refused to support funding without reforms to ICE operations, particularly following two fatal shootings of US citizens in Minneapolis. Despite the shutdown, ICE continued operating with independent funding of at least $75 billion allocated over four years.
Sat, Feb 14, 2026
Major
Democrats demand ICE reforms as condition for funding
Democratic lawmakers outlined their demands including banning ICE agents from wearing face masks during operations, requiring judicial warrants before entries, and increased oversight of enforcement activities. The demands came in response to controversial 'Operation Metro Surge' raids across Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis that resulted in deaths and mistaken detentions of US citizens.
Sat, Feb 14, 2026
Moderate
Travel groups warn of airport disruptions and TSA impacts
Airlines for America and other travel groups issued warnings about potential flight delays and longer wait times as TSA workers began working without pay. While air traffic controllers were unaffected, the groups expressed concern about increased unscheduled absences by TSA personnel working unpaid during the shutdown.
Mon, Feb 16, 2026
Major
Negotiations stall as Congress enters week-long recess
With both the House and Senate out for the week following the Munich Security Conference, prospects for a quick resolution dimmed. The shutdown entered its third day with thousands of DHS workers either furloughed or working without pay, and no immediate path to resuming negotiations.
Tue, Feb 17, 2026
Moderate
Democrats send new counteroffer to White House
Democratic negotiators submitted a revised proposal to the White House, modifying their initial 10-point plan from February 4th. The counteroffer maintained calls for tighter warrant requirements and unmasking ICE agents, but details of any compromises remained unclear as both sides remained entrenched.
Tue, Feb 17, 2026
Moderate
White House declares negotiators 'still pretty far apart'
Despite more than a week of talks, the White House indicated that a deal remained distant. Administration officials rejected the Democratic counteroffer, signaling that fundamental disagreements over ICE reforms continued to block progress toward reopening the department.
Wed, Feb 18, 2026
Major
Jeffries warns Democrats are 'steadfast' on ICE reform demands
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference declaring that Democrats would not back down from their demands for specific reforms to Trump's immigration enforcement policies. His remarks signaled that the five-day shutdown could stretch on indefinitely without Republican concessions.
Wed, Feb 18, 2026
Moderate
White House calls Democratic proposal 'unserious'
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the Democratic counteroffer as 'very unserious' during the daily briefing, escalating rhetoric between the two sides. The comments suggested negotiations had reached an impasse, with both parties blaming each other for the ongoing shutdown.
Thu, Feb 19, 2026
Moderate
Shutdown talks hit a wall as GOP fumes over lack of progress
By day five, discussions between the White House and Democratic leaders had completely stalled. Administration officials publicly criticized Democrats for refusing concessions, while lawmakers maintained their position that reforms were non-negotiable following the Minneapolis shootings.
Thu, Feb 19, 2026
Major
DHS halts FEMA disaster-related travel amid funding lapse
An internal DHS email revealed that the department issued a stop-travel order for all DHS-funded travel at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The restriction marked the first significant operational impact beyond TSA, affecting the agency's ability to respond to disasters during the shutdown.
Fri, Feb 20, 2026
Major
DHS requires written approval for all FEMA travel
The Department of Homeland Security implemented new restrictions requiring written approval for all FEMA staff travel, effective February 20th. The policy applied even to travel funded through separate disaster appropriations that had not lapsed, significantly expanding the shutdown's impact on emergency management operations.
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