Editor's Note: See updated report here.

Just hours away from a potential shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security, the House failed to pass a bill to fund the agency through March 19. The bill failed to pass on a 203 to 224 vote.

Lawmakers were told to expect more votes later on Friday as the House tries to figure out a way to extend funding for the agency.

Congress has already funded the rest of the government in December, but the DHS funding was cut short to provide an opportunity for further debate on President Obama's executive actions, including a program that defers deportation for immigrant children and others.

President Obama had said he would sign the three-week extension, according to an administration statement.

Senate Democrats had balked at a recently introduced funding bill that included prohibitions against President Obama's executive actions but have since passed a "clean" legislation that lacked those prohibitions in a 68 to 31 vote Feb. 26.

But most of the no votes that torpedoed the legislation came from Democrats, while a majority of Republicans supported the bill.

DHS would have to furlough 30,000 employees if Congress does not pass a funding bill by the end of Feb. 27 – while the remaining 85 percent of employees would have to work without pay, according to the agency.

Another twist comes from U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, who issued a temporary injunction against implementing the new programs on Feb. 16. The administration has said it would appeal the decision, but will suspend those implementation programs pending a new decision.

The partial shutdown would also throw into disarray grant programs, contracts at the Coast Guard and other agencies, and the management of cybersecurity efforts, according to DHS.

Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee said the House's main priority is to keep the lights on at DHS while working on a full-year bill.

He said while he disagrees with President Obama's executive actions they cannot waste taxpayer dollars and create instability by allowing the agency to shut down.

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