Lawmakers in Talks to Avoid Partial US Shutdown, Thune Says

Senate Majority Leader John Thune

Photographer: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the two parties are in talks with the White House over US government funding as Democrats threaten to force a partial US government shutdown following a mounting public backlash over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.

The fatal shooting of Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents on Saturday quickly led to a Senate Democratic revolt against funding the Department of Homeland Security without new safeguards. Funding for several other agencies, including Defense, Health and Human Services, Labor, Treasury and Education, could become a casualty of the dispute as a Jan. 30 funding deadline nears.