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US Congress Deadlocked Over Looming Shutdown

US Congress Deadlocked Over Looming Shutdown

The US Congress is in turmoil amid a row over funding for the US domestic security agency, as a midnight deadline looms.

The latest chaotic standoff has been provoked by conservative attempts to derail President Barack Obama's unilateral immigration measures.

Republicans in the House of Representatives failed to pass a bill on Friday, by 203-224, to keep the lights on temporarily at the Department of Homeland Security.

Democrats voted against the stopgap measure because it would give conservatives another chance next month to overturn the president's November executive order, which removed the threat of deportation for 4.7 million immigrants .

Some Republicans also voted against the bill because it did not include any provision to repeal Mr Obama's immigration policies.

A federal judge has already blocked the Obama administration's order from coming into effect, pending a legal challenge by more than two dozen states.

Democrats have been demanding a year-long funding bill free of immigration restrictions, and Senate Republicans effectively capitulated earlier.

They passed a separate bill on Friday to keep the Department of Homeland Security operating until September, no strings attached.

There has been disarray over the last 48 hours as the Republican leaders of both chambers appeared at odds on how to move forward.

Democrats have said the impasse shows that Republicans cannot govern, following their takeover of Congress after November’s midterm elections.

Any shutdown would see about 15% of the Department of Homeland Security's 230,000 employees staying at home.

The agency is charged with securing US borders, airports and coastal waters.