AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Three government shutdowns in three months. This time, it is the Department of Homeland Security that's on track to shut down tonight. This is after Congress left town without a deal to fund the department and limit the tactics of federal immigration officers. NPR congressional reporter Sam Gringlas is with us now. Hi, Sam.
SAM GRINGLAS, BYLINE: Hey, Ailsa.
CHANG: I mean, come on. There is still some time before Homeland Security funding runs out at midnight. Why did Congress already give up and leave town?
GRINGLAS: So Congress actually hightailed it out of the Capitol by 5 p.m. last night...
CHANG: Oh.
GRINGLAS: ...If that gives you any indication of how optimistic lawmakers were about meeting this deadline. Democrats and Republicans have been trading offers over the last several days. That started with a list of Democrats' demands to put new checks on immigration enforcement after two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis were killed by federal agents last month.
CHANG: Right.
GRINGLAS: But Senate Majority Leader John Thune told us yesterday that the two sides are not close. Negotiations are ongoing, but with no vote in sight, lawmakers packed up and left. And because of the scheduled recess, they're not expected to be back for another week.
CHANG: But why not just extend DHS funding for a short time while those talks keep going? - because that's what Congress already did just a few weeks ago, right?
GRINGLAS: Yeah, but at this point, Democrats say they are voting against any immigration-related funding until they get reforms like requiring body cameras for officers written into law. Here's Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who is part of the talks.
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CHRISTOPHER MURPHY: We have an obligation to fund a government that obeys the law. This Department of Homeland Security is not obeying the law.
GRINGLAS: And what's notable is that unlike during the record-long shutdown last fall, Democrats are almost totally unified on this approach.
CHANG: OK. So how are lawmakers explaining why talks have stalled?
GRINGLAS: Democrats say Republicans were slow to produce their offer, and when they did, they were unwilling to give an inch. Republicans have accused Democrats of pretty much the same thing and are slamming them for refusing to keep DHS funding flowing. This is Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, who's involved in the negotiations.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
KATIE BRITT: People who have nothing to do with this are going to have to pay the price. It would be different if we had thrown up our hands and said, nah, we're not going to send you anything back. We want this to work.
CHANG: OK. And what do we know about the specific policy sticking points right now?
GRINGLAS: We know that the White House produced a counteroffer Wednesday night. The White House is taking the lead on this with Democrats. But no one has really been willing to say what was in that offer. Here's all Minority Leader Chuck Schumer would divulge.
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CHUCK SCHUMER: Their proposal is not serious, plain and simple. It's very far apart from what we need.
GRINGLAS: We do know that some of the Democrats' demands are nonstarters for most Republicans, like requiring judicial warrants for many enforcement operations and banning officers from masking. Thune, though, says he thinks there is common ground to find.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JOHN THUNE: I think if people are operating in good faith and actually want a solution, that deal space is there.
GRINGLAS: But we have heard that before on other issues...
CHANG: Oh, yeah.
GRINGLAS: ...Only for the efforts to falter later.
CHANG: Totally. OK, so, Sam, do you have any sense of how long this shutdown will last?
GRINGLAS: Leadership has told members they could be called back next week if there's a deal, but Thune has said that is not likely. Meanwhile, federal immigration enforcement will continue. Congress already gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement billions of dollars last year. Disaster response has money to work with for a while, and TSA agents won't likely miss a paycheck for a few more weeks. So most Americans may not notice this shutdown unless it really drags on.
CHANG: That is NPR congressional reporter Sam Gringlas. Thank you, Sam.
GRINGLAS: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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