The United States federal government has moved into a limited shutdown after lawmakers failed to finalise a funding agreement before the midnight deadline, temporarily suspending parts of government activity. The interruption is widely expected to be short, although political tensions could complicate a quick resolution.

Late on Friday, after prolonged negotiations, the US Senate approved a spending proposal with strong bipartisan backing, passing it by a 71 to 29 vote. The measure, however, still requires approval from the House of Representatives, which is not scheduled to take up the bills until at least Monday. Once the House acts, President Donald Trump will need to sign the legislation for funding to resume fully.

Because the process was not completed in time, a partial shutdown came into effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time. Congressional leaders from both parties have tried to insulate routine government operations from an ongoing dispute over immigration enforcement, even as Democratic lawmakers express growing outrage over the deaths of two people during federal immigration operations in Minnesota.

The current standoff differs sharply from last autumn’s shutdown, when deep disagreements over healthcare policy led to a record 43 day closure that cost the US economy an estimated 11 billion dollars.

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Speaking earlier from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera correspondent Rosiland Jordan explained that the delay was largely procedural, noting that the House had been in recess throughout the week. While expectations remain that funding could be restored early next week, she warned that political polarisation could extend the shutdown beyond initial forecasts.

At the center of the dispute is Democratic resistance to approving additional funds for the Department of Homeland Security without changes to immigration enforcement practices. The fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis have intensified calls for investigations and reforms, hardening opposition to new DHS funding.

Despite the friction, Trump signaled a desire to avoid a prolonged shutdown and backed a rare compromise with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Under the agreement, five remaining spending bills were cleared to fund most federal agencies through September, while DHS funding was separated and temporarily extended for two weeks. This short term extension is intended to give lawmakers space to debate potential limits on immigration operations while keeping much of the government running.