US Senate Democrats have reached a deal that would avert a partial government shutdown and buy time to negotiate new restrictions on US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, a Democratic aide said on Thursday.
The deal would separate the debate over aggressive immigration tactics from a broad funding package that Congress must pass before midnight Friday to ensure that agencies such as the Pentagon and the Department of Health and Human Services can operate without interruption.
The White House and Senate Republicans did not immediately confirm whether a deal had been reached.
Democrats had threatened to hold up the funding package, in an effort to force Trump to rein in the Department of Homeland Security, which handles immigration enforcement among other matters.
The agreement would strip out DHS from the funding bill, allowing Congress to pass the overall package of bills quickly and avert a partial government shutdown on Saturday.
DHS funding would be temporarily extended for two weeks, giving negotiators time to reach an agreement on immigration tactics.
Senate Democrats, angered by the shooting of a second US citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis last weekend, have demanded new restrictions, including an end to roving patrols, a ban on face masks, and a requirement to wear body cameras.
The killing of Alex Pretti last Saturday spurred widespread public outrage, prompting the Trump administration to de-escalate operations in the region.
Any changes made in the Senate would also have to be approved by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which signed off on the spending package last week.
Major airlines urge Congress to pay air traffic controllers in event of government shutdown
Major US airlines on Thursday urged Congress to pay air traffic controllers in the event of a partial government shutdown after the industry suffered a major disruption during a 43-day standoff last fall.
The US government could again face a partial shutdown as soon as Saturday over an ongoing dispute over the Homeland Security Department.
Airlines for America, which represents American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and other major carriers, said "Congress needs to understand the real-world consequences that impact the American public if planes cannot fly due to a shutdown. As we saw three months ago, shutdowns place significant strain on the entire aviation industry, impacting travelers, shippers and the federal employees who keep our aviation system safe."