• House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence Sunday the partial government shutdown will end by Tuesday despite Democratic opposition to fast-tracking the measure
• Democrats demand robust reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement before supporting the Senate-approved spending package
• The shutdown affecting multiple federal agencies began Saturday after Congress missed the January 30 funding deadline

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — House Speaker Mike Johnson declared Sunday he remains confident the partial government shutdown will end by Tuesday, though he acknowledged Democrats will not provide votes to expedite passage of the Senate-approved spending package.

The Louisiana Republican told NBC's Meet the Press he believes he has sufficient Republican support to advance the legislation through regular order, despite operating with a razor-thin 218-213 majority that continues shrinking.

"Let's say I'm confident that we'll do it at least by Tuesday. I have a one-vote margin, yes, for the rest of 2026, but we're going to demonstrate once again that this is the party that takes governing seriously."

Democratic Opposition Hardens Over ICE Funding

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries informed Johnson that Democrats will not help fast-track the spending measure, which requires a two-thirds majority under suspension of the rules. Sources familiar with the weekend conversation confirmed to multiple outlets that Jeffries made clear Democrats demand concrete reforms to the Department of Homeland Security before considering support.

Jeffries told ABC's This Week that Democrats require more than promises on immigration enforcement reforms.

"We need a robust path toward dramatic reform. The administration can't just talk the talk. They need to walk the walk. That should begin today, not in two weeks."

The Senate deal approved Friday night by a 71-29 vote separates DHS funding into a two-week stopgap measure, allowing time for negotiations on ICE operations while funding other agencies through September. But many House Democrats view even the temporary funding as unacceptable without immediate accountability measures.

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Representative Ro Khanna of California emerged as one of the most vocal opponents, telling Meet the Press he will actively lobby colleagues to vote against the package.

"I'm not just a no, I'm a firm no, and I'm going to advocate with colleagues that they vote no. I just in good conscience cannot vote to give more money to ICE agents as they're violating our constitutional rights."

Procedural Path Complicates Timeline

Without Democratic cooperation for fast-track passage, Johnson must navigate the legislation through the House Rules Committee, which is scheduled to mark up the Senate package Monday at 4 p.m. EST. This procedural requirement extends the shutdown timeline and increases uncertainty about whether Johnson can maintain Republican unity.

The House returns to work Monday after being on recess when the Senate approved the deal Friday night. Johnson told Fox News Sunday he expects logistical challenges gathering members back to Washington will delay final passage.

"We have a logistical challenge of getting everyone in town, and because of the conversation I had with Hakeem Jeffries, I know that we've got to pass a rule and probably do this mostly on our own."

Fox News congressional correspondent Chad Pergram noted that the delay extends what began as a 70-hour shutdown to at least 90 hours, assuming the House aligns with the Senate package Tuesday.

Trump Administration Role Acknowledged

Johnson signaled he is coordinating closely with President Donald Trump on the strategy, telling Fox News Sunday that Trump supports the approach of separating DHS funding for additional negotiations.

"The president is leading this. It's his play call to do it this way."

The speaker added that Trump "has already conceded that he wants to turn down the volume" on federal immigration operations, referencing the intense backlash following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Pretti's death, the second killing of a U.S. citizen by immigration enforcement officers this month, energized Democratic demands for ICE accountability measures.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures that Trump will be the "decider" on any policy changes to immigration enforcement but confirmed the administration is willing to negotiate with Democrats.

"Last week, the White House invited moderate Democrat senators to come to the White House and to discuss their concerns so that we can hear them out and at least see what they are trying to put on the table."

Democratic Reform Demands Detailed

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer outlined specific Democratic demands immediately following Friday's Senate vote, emphasizing the party will not support DHS funding without "real strong change."

"The American people are crying out for change. This is not America, not America. And when you see those images, know that something is dramatically wrong and it must change."

Democrats are pressing for requirements that ICE agents wear body cameras with cameras turned on, removal of masks so agents can be identified, an end to roving patrols, and tighter parameters around warrants for searches and arrests. The current spending package includes $20 million for body camera procurement, but Democrats argue this falls far short of comprehensive reform.

Khanna proposed separating ICE funding entirely from the broader government spending package to allow most agencies to reopen.

"We can bracket the ICE funding. We can open the remaining parts of government. There are a lot of other parts of government that we can fund. The ICE issue should be separated."

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told Fox News Sunday he has not seen willingness from Trump to genuinely negotiate on immigration law reform.

"He's not convening any process to bring Republicans together to try to reform our laws. Donald Trump wants to use the issue of immigration to divide us from each other, to try to make us believe that our neighbors, our lawful resident neighbors, are something that we have to fear."

Shutdown Impact And Duration

The partial shutdown affects the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State, Treasury, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Essential services continue, including Social Security, Medicare and various public safety functions, but federal workers in affected agencies face potential furloughs and delayed paychecks if the impasse extends.

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Unlike the record 43-day shutdown that ended just over two months ago, this lapse should be significantly shorter and have fewer tangible effects. Nutrition assistance programs like SNAP and WIC remain unaffected because those agencies received funding last year.

Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are deemed essential and must work through the shutdown without pay, raising concerns about staffing strains that could force flight reductions at airports if the situation persists.

FEMA officials indicated the agency has approximately $7 billion to $8 billion in disaster response funds available to address the massive winter storm affecting large portions of the country, though an extended shutdown could strain those resources.

Political Dynamics And Shrinking Majority

Johnson's challenge is compounded by his diminishing House majority. The unexpected death of Representative Doug LaMalfa of California and the resignation of former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia last month reduced Republican ranks. Democrat Christian Menefee won a special election in Texas, further tightening the margin.

Conservative Republicans have raised concerns about carving out DHS funding from the broader package, potentially creating additional defections Johnson cannot afford when he can lose only a handful of votes on the procedural rule.

House Democrats scheduled a caucus call for 5 p.m. Sunday to discuss their strategy, with progressive members pressing leadership to maintain firm opposition to any DHS funding without ironclad reform commitments.

Can Speaker Johnson successfully navigate the spending package through the House with only Republican votes, or will the shutdown extend beyond Tuesday?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from CNBC's coverage of Johnson's Sunday interviews, ABC News reporting on the extended shutdown timeline, NBC News coverage of Ro Khanna's opposition, CBS News reporting on Jeffries and Johnson's conversation, The Washington Post's shutdown coverage, PBS NewsHour's analysis of Democratic demands, TIME's coverage of the partial shutdown impact, LiveNOW from FOX reporting on the extended timeline, and WCVB's coverage of Democratic reform demands.

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