White House Chief of Staff John Kelly speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 17, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said on Wednesday he believed Congress would pass a stopgap bill to keep the U.S. government funded ahead of a Friday deadline.

Kelly made the comment during an interview with Fox News, after Republican leaders in Congress proposed a stopgap bill that would fund the U.S. government through Feb. 16 and avert a shutdown, dealing a blow to Democrats who want such a measure to include immigration protections.