UPDATE | Dems, GOP reach tentative agreement to avoid shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Negotiators from both parties say lawmakers have reached an agreement in principle to fund government, avoid shutdown.

8:35 p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Suddenly optimistic, congressional negotiators said late today that politically freighted talks on border security were back on track as they sped to avert a new federal shutdown this weekend.

The talks had cratered Saturday and Sunday over Democratic demands to limit immigrant detentions by federal authorities, but the impasse seemed to be loosening.

"We haven't broken it yet, but we're talking seriously," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala. "We're trying to discuss seriously some obstacles to an agreement."

His Democratic counterpart, Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, said negotiators agreed, "If we can wrap this up tonight, do it tonight, don't go over till tomorrow."

Talks continued into the evening.

A Friday midnight deadline is looming as negotiators strain to prevent a second partial government shutdown, for which there is virtually no support from lawmakers of either party.

If bargainers don't reach an agreement and get President Donald Trump's signature by then, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed for a second time this year.