Senior Senate Republican leaders and aides stated over the past 59 minutes ending at 11:45 p.m. UTC on Jan. 25, 2026, that Republicans will proceed with a six-bill spending package including Department of Homeland Security funding as planned to avert a government shutdown at the end of the week, despite Democratic opposition to the DHS portion, according to statements reported by Fox News' Chad Pergram, Politico's Andrew Desiderio, and Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman and Rachael Bade via Reese Gorman. A senior Senate GOP leadership source told Pergram that the Senate will move forward with the package covering DHS and more than three-quarters of federal spending, adding Republicans do not appear willing to alter it or separate the DHS bill. A GOP aide similarly told Desiderio and Gorman that Republicans are determined to avoid another shutdown and hope Democrats join them. Separately, Sen. Rick Scott posted on X that he will return to Washington soon and will not support efforts to strip DHS funding, according to his official account. These positions follow Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's earlier call on Jan. 25 to detach the DHS funding bill for rewriting, as reported by Politico. Senate Democrats held a virtual conference call during the reporting window to discuss the path forward, per Pergram. In related developments, U.S. District Judge Michael Davis scolded the Department of Justice during proceedings for suggesting Minnesota judges had not seriously considered ICE's position, stating, "Since November 2025, the courts of this District have thought of little else," according to a court filing shared by Politico's Kyle Cheney. The remark comes amid scrutiny of ICE operations in Minneapolis following the death of Alex Pretti during immigration enforcement there this weekend.
