WASHINGTON (WOWO) — A partial government shutdown ended this week, but funding for the Department of Homeland Security remains unresolved and faces another looming deadline, Rep. Marlin Stutzman said, warning that negotiations with Democrats are far from finished.

In a radio interview Tuesday, the Indiana Republican said DHS funding was carved out of the short-term deal that reopened the government and was extended for only 10 days, pushing the next funding deadline to Feb. 13.

“Good news, the partial government shutdown is in fact over,” Stutzman said. “But we’re not exactly full-on celebrating just yet because the DHS funding — the Department of Homeland Security funding — it was completely carved out, and it’s only being extended for 10 days.”

Stutzman said Republicans faced a choice between accepting a short-term extension or risking a broader shutdown that would disrupt businesses and workers nationwide.

“I think we would be then in a shutdown,” he said. “What we experienced last fall, the disruptions that it caused for a lot of business, a lot of people, just wasn’t worth that part.”

He said Democrats were willing to force a shutdown over disagreements tied to DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, particularly following what he described as “very unfortunate” events in Minnesota. According to Stutzman, the temporary DHS funding includes additional training for ICE agents and the use of body cameras.

“The Democrats decided that that’s the hill they were going to die on,” he said.

Stutzman said President Donald Trump personally supported the short-term extension while seeking more time to negotiate a longer deal with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.

“President Trump even said, ‘It’s fine … give me two weeks and negotiate another deal,’” Stutzman said. “I’m really confident that he’s got this under control.”

He also pushed back on claims that DHS and ICE would be defunded, noting that much of the department’s funding was already approved through a sweeping budget reconciliation measure Republicans have dubbed the “big, beautiful bill.”

“Most of the funding for ICE has already been done through the big, beautiful bill,” Stutzman said. “This is going to affect other agencies — FEMA and the Coast Guard — more than it actually affects Immigration and Customs.”

Stutzman sought to clarify confusion over why Congress still must pass annual funding measures even after approving large, multi-year budget legislation. He explained that Congress first authorizes programs, then later appropriates money through separate bills that determine how funds are spent.

“The authorization says, ‘This is what we’re going to do,’” he said. “Then the appropriations say, ‘This million dollars is going to be spent here, this million dollars is going to be spent there.’ That’s what we’re voting on.”

When appropriations bills stall, Stutzman said, it gives the executive branch more discretion over spending, which is why Republicans have pushed to complete the process.

“We’ve got 11 of them passed,” he said. “Unfortunately, DHS was the one that got held up.”

Looking ahead, Stutzman said Republicans will insist on funding levels already approved by the House, while accusing Democrats of pushing to weaken DHS leadership.

“If Democrats had their way completely, they’d defund the Department of Homeland Security,” he said. “They would impeach Kristi Noem.”

If no agreement is reached before the Feb. 13 deadline, Stutzman acknowledged another funding fight is possible, though he said Trump is well-positioned in negotiations.

“I would rather be in his position of negotiating rather than Senator Schumer’s,” he said.

Stutzman also accused Democrats of shifting attention away from what he described as widespread fraud and waste uncovered in Minnesota, saying that issue helped trigger the broader dispute.

“There’s a fraud problem up there that really needs to be addressed,” he said. “And that affects all Americans as well.”

Despite the uncertainty, Stutzman said he remains confident a deal can be reached, pointing to Trump’s willingness to negotiate.

“He understands that there’s times when you have to sit down at the table and negotiate,” Stutzman said. “Hopefully Democrats come to the table and actually work with President Trump.”