Here’s the latest and most accurate overview of what’s happening with the U.S. government shutdown (as of February 1, 2026):
ABC News
pbs.org
Jeffries says Dems won't help fast-track Senate-passed funding measure, with shutdown expected to drag on longer than anticipated
Here's what to know about the partial government shutdown and its impact
Yesterday
Today
🔴 What Just Happened
The U.S. federal government entered a partial shutdown at 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, January 31, 2026, because Congress failed to pass final spending legislation before funding expired. �
Wikipedia
This is the second shutdown in the past few months, coming just about 11 weeks after the previous one that lasted 43 days. �
Geo News
The shutdown began despite a Senate-approved funding package that would keep most federal agencies open, because the House of Representatives had not yet voted on it before the deadline. �
barrons.com
🧠 Why It Happened
Congress failed to agree on funding bills before a deadline, especially over contentious issues around Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and immigration enforcement reforms. �
Wikipedia +1
Senate Democrats oppose the current DHS funding language without changes to immigration enforcement practices, complicating an agreement with Republicans. �
Axios
⛔ What the Shutdown Means in Practice
A partial shutdown means that:
Many federal agencies that haven’t