Funding for the Department of Homeland Security ran out on Saturday, leading to a partial government shutdown as lawmakers grapple with Senate Democrats’ calls for reform in immigration enforcement.
Democrats are advocating for changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As a result, several agencies under DHS, like the Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), are seeing funding issues. TSA employees started working without pay Saturday morning, and Congress is not expected back in Washington until next week.
Senate Democrats are pressing for significant reforms in the wake of the recent shootings of two Americans in Minneapolis. The proposed changes, made public on February 4, have largely been rejected by many Republicans. These reforms include restrictions on ICE agents, mandating judicial warrants for actions, and preventing immigration enforcement at polling places, schools, and churches.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated, “Americans are weary of agents operating without warrants in their neighborhoods. The chaos and lack of accountability must end.” He emphasized that Republicans can’t ignore the ongoing issues.
Interestingly, the shutdown won’t heavily impact ICE and CBP as both were allocated $75 billion as part of President Trump’s “Big and Beautiful Bill.” ICE is set to receive $65 billion over several years, with CBP getting the same amount. Border official Tom Homan noted that immigration operations would continue. Additionally, DHS is pursuing investigations into fraud allegations within Minnesota’s social welfare programs.
While Congress has assigned funds to other departments like the Department of Transportation, meaning air traffic control won’t be directly affected, about 95% of the roughly 60,000 employees at TSA will still have to work during this standoff. Last year’s shutdown caused financial strain for many TSA workers.
FEMA’s funding has also faced challenges due to the shutdown, impacting first responders, as some employees will experience furloughs. Schumer had previously expressed concerns about how a shutdown could disrupt TSA operations and cause significant delays in air travel. “We could see weakened border enforcement and, potentially, depleted disaster relief funds,” he noted.
Officials from DHS have spoken about the looming effects of this shutdown. Greg Phillips, a deputy administrator from FEMA, recently stated that while there are currently sufficient funds for emergency operations, a major disaster could put the Disaster Relief Fund under serious pressure. TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeil also highlighted concerns regarding air travel disruptions during a shutdown, mentioning the financial burdens on the TSA officers supporting their families.
Groups like US Travel, Airlines for America, and the American Hotel Association underscored the adverse effects of the funding uncertainty on the travel ecosystem, particularly impacting small businesses linked to the airline and travel industry.
The White House has been engaged in negotiations with Republican leadership, but Senate Democrats turned down a recent proposal. If an agreement is reached during Congress’ upcoming break, lawmakers would need to return to the Capitol with just 24-hours’ notice.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune remarked that Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries seem hesitant to reach a compromise, suggesting they might prefer to politicize the situation instead. “I think it’s unclear whether they truly want a resolution,” he added.
