Partial government shutdown begins after DHS funding lapse

A partial government shutdown began at midnight Saturday in the United States after lawmakers failed to reach a last-minute agreement on Department of Homeland Security funding, leaving non-essential federal employees without direction and potentially affecting critical security operations nationwide. The shutdown affects approximately 240,000 federal employees who are considered non-essential, while approximately 220,000 deemed essential continue working without pay until a resolution is reached. The Department of Homeland Security, which includes agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), faces significant operational challenges as funding for these critical security lapses. The political impasse stems from ongoing disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over immigration policy provisions, with Republicans seeking stricter border security measures as a condition for funding approval.