President Trump has signaled a shift in approach to the contentious immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, suggesting he may be willing to address Democratic concerns as Congress races against a Friday midnight deadline to prevent a partial government shutdown that would impact nearly 80 percent of the federal government.
The development comes after days of gridlock over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, triggered by the fatal shooting of Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents. Democrats have refused to approve DHS funding without new safeguards and procedural protections, while Republicans have insisted the funding package pass without changes.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that policy discussions on immigration "are happening," noting that Trump discussed the issue with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Monday. After the call, Walz said Trump would "look into" reducing the number of federal deployments in Minnesota and work with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure the state can conduct an independent investigation into Pretti's death.
Background
The shutdown crisis emerged suddenly after Pretti's death on Saturday, transforming what appeared to be a resolved funding dispute into a major standoff. Government funding for approximately three-quarters of the federal government expires at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, with the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, Health and Human Services, the Labor Department, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education all facing potential disruption.
Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune, had negotiated a six-bill funding package that included DHS appropriations. The administration initially insisted the package pass exactly as written, without separating out the controversial DHS bill. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins told reporters Monday that she did not favor removing the DHS bill from the package but acknowledged ongoing discussions about "further reforms or procedural protections."
Democrats, however, dug in after Pretti's death. Senate Democrats demanded changes to immigration enforcement procedures before approving DHS funding. Senator John Fetterman went further, posting on social media calling for President Trump to "immediately fire" Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
The standoff has created an unusual political dynamic. Republicans face pressure from their own conservative wing, with Senator Mike Lee and other conservatives vowing to oppose any effort to strip out DHS funding. Because the Senate operates under time constraints with the Friday deadline, any single senator can block attempts to quickly amend legislation.
Key Details
Trump's recent moves suggest a potential opening for negotiation. The administration sent border czar Tom Homan to oversee the Minnesota enforcement surge, and Homan met with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry and Governor Walz. According to reporting, the president and the mayor agreed that the situation in Minnesota needs to change.
"My hope is that we're not going to get to that point, that everyone would recognize that a government shutdown is extremely harmful and should be avoided," – Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins
Senator Katie Britt, who leads the Appropriations subcommittee dealing with DHS, said the Senate should pass the funding package as written but indicated there could be actions taken "within the purview of the administration" to address Democratic concerns. This language suggests the White House might implement policy changes without requiring Congress to rewrite the legislation.
The complication factor
Any changes to the funding bill would require the House to vote again. Representatives are not scheduled to return to Washington until next week, creating a timing problem. One senior House Republican warned that sending an amended bill back to the House would open a new "hellscape" in the funding talks, with the fractious Republican conference divided over the way forward.
The White House has maintained that threatening to shut down the government over policy changes is inappropriate. Leavitt said lawmakers should back the minibus as previously negotiated, "but that should not be at the expense of government funding for the American people."
Lines of communication between the parties remain open, however. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have indicated they are in talks with the White House over government funding. Some observers noted that Trump's willingness to address Minnesota concerns could soften the ground for a possible deal.
What This Means
If no agreement is reached by Friday, approximately 2.1 million federal employees would be affected, with roughly half the government ceasing full operations. The shutdown would disrupt services across multiple agencies and departments, affecting everything from national security to social services.
Trump's apparent flexibility on the Minnesota situation could provide a face-saving way for Democrats to back down from their demands without appearing to capitulate on principle. By allowing the administration to implement changes to enforcement procedures without requiring new legislation, Democrats might claim a victory while Republicans avoid rewriting the funding bill.
The next 72 hours will be critical. Meetings between White House officials, congressional leadership, and state officials are scheduled throughout the week. How those conversations resolve will determine not only whether immigration enforcement procedures change in Minneapolis but also whether the federal government avoids a damaging shutdown that neither party wants.
