DHS funding set to lapse, putting key county partners at risk of a partial shutdown

Key Takeaways

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is headed toward a funding lapse at 12:01 a.m. ET on Feb. 14 after the Senate failed this week to advance legislation to fund DHS for the remainder of Fiscal year (FY) 2026.

Overview: Why DHS is on the verge of a shutdown

On Feb. 12, the Senate voted 52–47 on a DHS funding bill – short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster - leaving DHS on track for a funding lapse as the deadline nears. The House passed the funding bill late last month.

Negotiations have stalled largely over policy disputes tied to immigration enforcement and oversight reforms. Senate Democrats have pushed for changes to DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) practices and accountability measures; Republicans have argued their proposal includes oversight provisions and should move forward.

Impact on counties

Counties rely on DHS components every day - especially during disasters, major events and cyber incidents. If DHS funding lapses, county impacts may include:
 

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund can continue supporting ongoing disaster response, but a shutdown can disrupt long-term planning and training with state and local partners (including first responder training), and slow coordination activities that strengthen readiness.
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA): County airports and regional economies could feel strain if TSA staffing and retention worsen due to delayed pay, with higher absence/attrition risk during peak travel periods.
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): CISA would be limited largely to essential functions during a shutdown; work to finalize the cyber incident reporting rule and other implementation efforts could be delayed – affecting the pace of guidance, coordination and support counties depend on to manage ransomware and other threats. 

Where negotiations stand

As of Feb. 13, there is no final agreement on a full-year DHS appropriations bill or a stopgap extension, and the Senate vote failure has increased the likelihood of a funding lapse beginning early Feb. 14.

NACo will continue monitoring developments and assessing county impacts as negotiations proceed.