Shutdown ends as California lawmakers split along party lines
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- House voted 217–214 to fund most agencies through Sept. 30, ending a near four‑day shutdown.
- California delegation split: nine Republicans backed the bill; 42 of 43 Democrats opposed.
- Homeland Security funding deferred to Feb. 13 amid Democratic demands for major reforms.
The House Tuesday voted to end the federal government’s partial shutdown — barely.
Lawmakers voted 217 to 214 to fund most of the federal government through Sept. 30. But it gave lawmakers only until Feb. 13 to figure out how to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Later Tuesday afternoon, President Donald Trump signed the bill into law.
All nine California Republicans voted for the bill. Forty-two of the 43 California Democrats voted no. Only Democratic yes vote was Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego.
Overall, 21 Democrats voted for the bill and 193 voted against. Twenty-one Republicans voted against it, while 196 voted yes.
The vote followed a tense partisan test where Democrats voiced their objection to the homeland security part of the bill. The vote to advance the bill before the final vote was 217 to 215, with all Democrats voting no.
Tuesday’s votes showed the deep divide between most Democrats and Republicans over how to fund the federal government.
Republicans are split between conservatives who see too much spending in the legislation that would reopen a host of agencies. But most were wary of continuing the shutdown, which lasted nearly four days.
“There can be NO CHANGES at this time,” Trump wrote earlier this week on his Truth Social website. “We will work together in good faith to address the issues that have been raised, but we cannot have another long, pointless, and destructive Shutdown.”
Democratic divisions
Democrats were divided between those eager to reopen most of those agencies and others who want to get tougher with the Department of Homeland Security.
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, has been a consistent no on approving DHS budgets recently.
“Innocent Americans have been shot and killed in front of their neighbors. Children have been detained. This is not normal — and Congress cannot normalize it by continuing to fund it,” she told The Bee. “This reign of terror must end, and we must use our leverage to force real change.”
Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbera, echoed that concern.
Under the Trump administration, he tweeted, “ICE is out-of-control. Masked agents are murdering American citizens, detaining innocent children, and terrorizing our communities. They must be stopped NOW.” ICE is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Republican views
Most Republicans had views similar to those of Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin.
“It’s just a bill to begin negotiations where we can then discuss what sort of reforms are going to be instituted,” he said.
Kiley said there are two “basic sides or elements to what will be incorporated into the homeland security bill that’s eventually agreed to”
Some Republicans took a harder line.
“Liberals who use phrases like ‘defund ICE’ or ‘no one is illegal on stolen land’ are really advocating that we go back to the Biden-era open border policies where illegal immigrants from across the globe flooded across our border. Americans voted to end that policy in 2024,” said Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona.
Looking ahead
There appears to be support for reforms about more use of body cameras, training and other changes to make agents more transparent and accountable. At the same time, Kiley wants jurisdictions that do not cooperate with immigration authorities to do so.
The homeland security budget looked on its way to passage until Jan. 24, when federal agents in Minneapolis shot and killed Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse who was protesting. The outrage over the shooting helped motivate Senate Democrats to join together to demand significant homeland security reforms.
Democrats want significant change. Most have rallied behind a plan that would require agents to identify themselves when engaging in enforcement activities and avoid wearing masks. They also want an end to “roving patrols” and tougher rules governing the use of warrants by agents seeking migrants.
Many didn’t see Tuesday’s bill achieving those purposes.
“Throwing more money at ICE is the last thing Congress should be doing. There is nothing legal, moral, ethical, nor humane with what’s going on in Minnesota and my Republican colleagues in Congress need to grow some courage and join us to impeach Kristi Noem, cut ICE funding, and stop the chaos,” said Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena.
This story was originally published February 3, 2026 at 3:57 PM with the headline "Shutdown ends as California lawmakers split along party lines."
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