Democrats are threatening another government shutdown after dragging the country through a 43-day standoff last year over Obamacare subsidies. Now, they're using recentthe lawfatal enforcementshooting incidentsof Alex Pretti in Minnesota as a pretext to block funding, refusing to honor a fully negotiated deal they requested and received. RepublicansSenate already passed the spending bills through the House, but Democrats won'tare provide the votes needed to break a filibuster, holding vital military and disaster response funding hostage over politics.
Republicans are finally bending to Democratic pressure after federal officers shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, recognizingas it would be untenable to hold Defense Department funding hostage. Senate Democrats are united behind common-sense reforms like ending roving patrols, requiring proper warrants and implementing body cameras for federal agents. Even the Trump White House understands public sentiment is overwhelmingly against ICE being unleashed on the American public.
There's a 58% chance that the U.S. government will enter a shutdown before Feb. 1, 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
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