DHS would have to furlough 30,000 employees if Congress does not pass a funding bill by the end of Feb. 27 – while the remaining 85 percent of employees would have to work without pay, according to the agency.
Congress has already funded the rest of the government in December, but the DHS funding was cut short to provide an opportunity for further debate on President Obama's executive actions, including a program that defers deportation for immigrant children and others.
The Senate has failed several times to approve a round of debate on the most recent attempt to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The Senate needs 60 votes to move to debate.
Related: DHS chief appeals to Congress for funding
The newest twist comes from U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, who issued a temporary injunction against implementing the new programs on Feb. 16. The administration has said it would appeal the decision, but will suspend those implementation programs pending a new decision.
The partial shutdown would also throw into disarray grant programs, contracts at the Coast Guard and other agencies, and the management of cybersecurity efforts, according to DHS.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the DHS funding impasse must be resolved in light of recent threats from terrorism and cyber attacks.
He said now that the court system is involved in determining the constitutionality of the recent executive actions DHS should suspend all of its programs to implement those until the courts decide.
Democrats must also stop blocking the vote on a DHS funding bill in the Senate, Johnson said.
"Responsible members of both parties must work together to find some way to fund DHS without further delay," Johnson said. "I will work to make certain the Department of Homeland Security is operating at full strength during these dangerous times."
But Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the House minority whip, said Democrats support a "clean" bill that does not address the executive actions and instead focuses on funding DHS agencies through the fiscal year.
If Republicans want to change immigration policy they should focus on bringing comprehensive immigration reform legislation to the floor of the House for a vote, Hoyer said.
"If the Republican-controlled Congress shuts down the Department on February 27, thousands of agents would be furloughed, along with thousands forced to work without pay, and first responders across the country would be left without important federal support," Hoyer said.
Colleen Kelley, the president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said in a letter Feb. 13 that Congress must solve the funding impasse and avoid a shutdown.
"No one wins if this political standoff continues. The American people do not win if the Department of Homeland Security is shut down, even if its employees continue to work," Kelley said.
