Trump seeks to avoid shutdown, as Democrats block funding, demand ICE curbs

Democrats and the White House are narrowing in on a spending deal that could avert a partial government shutdown as they negotiate new restrictions for US President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.As the country reels from the deaths of two protesters at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, the two sides had tentatively agreed to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund it for two weeks while they debate Democratic demands for curbs on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.The potential deal comes after Democrats voted to block legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday.“We don’t want a shutdown,” Trump said as he began a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning.Speaker Mike Johnson said on Thursday that he had been “vehemently opposed” to breaking up the funding package, but “if it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible. We can’t have the government shut down.”Outcry after ICE killing of another US citizenOutcry after ICE killing of another US citizenDemocrats have requested a short extension – two weeks or less – and say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill if their demands are not met, denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it and potentially triggering a shutdown.