Negotiations over the annual Homeland Security Department (DHS) spending bill are causing a delay in a bipartisan deal to fund crucial government departments, potentially putting a government shutdown at risk. The package, which was initially planned for release on Sunday, would have included full-year funding for the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and State, as well as the Internal Revenue Service and general government and foreign operations.

However, the release of the package is now facing a setback due to recent involvement from the White House in the negotiations, according to Republicans. The DHS spending bill, seen as the most challenging funding bill, is at the center of the dispute, as deep partisan divisions persist in Washington over border and immigration issues.

An unnamed source familiar with the matter revealed that Democrats are pushing for more funding for pay equity for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), while Republicans are seeking additional dollars for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) detention and enforcement efforts. The White House and Democratic congressional leadership have been approached for comment regarding the ongoing negotiations.

This recent development comes after a White House official reported that Republicans wanted to "underfund DHS" following the rejection of Democrats' offer for an extra $1.56 billion in funding for border security. However, Raj Shah, deputy chief of staff to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), refuted the report, stating that it was misleading and counterproductive to reaching a bipartisan agreement. Shah emphasized that House Republicans are committed to working in good faith to reach a consensus on the appropriations bills and prioritize DHS funding for border and immigration law enforcement.

With the current deadline set for Friday, Congress must pass legislation to fund various government functions to avoid a partial government shutdown. It remains to be seen how the negotiations over the DHS spending bill will be resolved and if a compromise can be reached to secure the necessary funding to keep the government running smoothly.