Johnson Pressures Schumer as DHS Shutdown Continues, Causing Airport Delays

House Speaker Mike Johnson is intensifying pressure on Senate Democrats as the Department of Homeland Security shutdown enters its sixth week with no resolution in sight. The Republican-led House plans to vote Thursday on two bills designed to highlight Democratic opposition to DHS funding.

The first vote will mark the third attempt by House Republicans to pass legislation funding DHS through the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The bill is based on a previously negotiated bipartisan agreement, but Democrats have withdrawn support, citing objections to President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies. The second measure is a nonbinding resolution expressing support for all agencies under DHS jurisdiction.

Now in its 38th day, the DHS shutdown has created significant disruptions across the country, particularly for air travelers. Major airports in Houston, New Orleans, New York City and other metropolitan areas are experiencing hours-long delays due to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages. Many TSA agents have called out of work as they face missed paychecks during the shutdown.

TSA employees are set to miss another paycheck this Friday, marking the second full pay period without compensation since the shutdown began. The TSA is just one of several critical agencies operating under DHS, alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“Anyone waiting for hours just to miss their flights will not soon forget, and Republicans are going to continue reminding Americans that it’s the Democrats putting their safety at risk just to protect criminal illegal aliens,” a House GOP leadership aide told Fox News Digital, framing the political messaging Republicans plan to deploy.

Negotiations over DHS funding have stalled as Republicans reject key Democratic demands for ICE and CBP reforms. Democrats have pushed for requirements such as judicial warrants for immigration operations and prohibiting agents from wearing face masks during operations – conditions Republicans consider unacceptable. Further complicating matters, Trump recently demanded that Republicans refuse any Democratic offer until lawmakers agree to advance an unrelated election measure called the SAVE America Act.

The Senate’s procedural rules require at least some Democratic support to overcome a filibuster and advance any DHS funding legislation. Meanwhile, the House operates by simple majority and has already passed congressional negotiators’ initial DHS funding bill twice.

Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-Arizona), who is leading the third iteration of the DHS funding bill, expressed frustration over the prolonged stalemate. “This standoff has gone on long enough,” Ciscomani said. “The men and women who keep our country safe here at home are a critical part of our national security—they need to get paid, now. These professionals should never be caught in the middle of political games, yet that’s exactly what has happened. It’s shameful.”

The political standoff has only deepened as Democrats have attempted to advance legislation that would fund DHS but exclude agencies involved in Trump’s immigration enforcement priorities. These efforts have been firmly rejected by Republicans.

Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have justified their opposition by citing controversial ICE operations in Minneapolis and other Democratic-leaning cities. They argue these operations demonstrate why they cannot support funding proposals that enable further immigration enforcement without significant reforms.

As the shutdown continues, the impact extends beyond air travel, affecting national security operations, emergency management capabilities, and cybersecurity initiatives at a time when both domestic and international threats remain significant concerns for homeland security officials.

With neither side showing signs of compromise, the DHS shutdown is poised to continue indefinitely, leaving thousands of federal workers without pay and potentially impacting critical security operations nationwide as the political impasse in Washington persists.