Senate Democrats Intensify DHS Funding Standoff, Threatening Further Action Over War Powers

Senate Republicans are accusing their Democratic counterparts of playing “political games” as the weekslong partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues with no resolution in sight. The standoff has intensified with some Democrats now threatening to expand their blockade to include all Senate business unless action is taken to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers in the Middle East.

“We shouldn’t let Republicans debate other legislation until they bring a war authorization to the United States Senate,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told NOTUS on Monday. Murphy, who serves as the top Democrat on the appropriations panel overseeing DHS funding, has been instrumental in his party’s push to withhold funding for the department absent sweeping immigration enforcement reforms.

His new threat comes after the Senate rejected a bipartisan resolution last week that would have narrowed Trump’s ability to launch future strikes on Iran. The Connecticut senator’s position indicates that Democrats’ attempts to restrict the president’s war powers are just beginning, despite growing impacts on American air travelers and DHS employees.

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who chairs the Senate Homeland Security funding panel and was appointed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune to lead negotiations with Democrats, dismissed Murphy’s position as counterproductive.

“The delay tactics we’re seeing from Democrats don’t change the fact that, because of their political games, lines at airports are growing, and the people tasked with keeping our homeland safe are being forced to do so without a paycheck,” Britt said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

She further accused Democratic lawmakers of refusing to engage in negotiations as the partial shutdown enters its fourth week. “I urge my Democratic colleagues to stop putting politics above people and do what’s right for the security of our nation,” Britt added. “That starts with having a conversation so that we can find a pathway forward.”

Real-World Impact Deepens at Nation’s Airports

The effects of the funding impasse are increasingly visible at airports nationwide, where Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are reporting to work without pay. Approximately 50,000 TSA personnel, who fall under DHS jurisdiction, received only a fraction of their salaries last week and will not receive another paycheck until the shutdown ends.

Major airports across the country are reporting staff shortages and implementing emergency measures. The New Orleans airport has advised passengers to arrive at least three hours before their flights, while Houston’s airport system is recommending travelers arrive four to five hours prior to departure.

“The shutdown is having very real consequences, and hardworking federal aviation workers, the airline industry and our passengers are being used as a political football once again,” said Chris Sununu, CEO of Airlines for America and former New Hampshire governor. “This is simply unacceptable and un-American.”

This marks the second time in recent years that TSA employees have been forced to work without pay during a government shutdown, following a similar situation during the record-breaking shutdown in late 2025.

Political Standoff Intensifies Despite Security Concerns

Despite new security concerns following Trump’s military operation in Iran, a majority of Democratic lawmakers in both chambers voted last week to continue the DHS shutdown by opposing a bipartisan measure that would have funded the agency through the remainder of the fiscal year.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has outlined specific demands for unlocking DHS funding, including requirements that federal immigration officers stop wearing masks and obtain judicial warrants before entering homes and businesses.

While negotiations between Senate Democrats and the White House have been ongoing, no agreement has materialized. The administration sent a counteroffer nearly two weeks ago, but congressional Democrats have not yet accepted it.

Some Republicans had hoped that President Trump’s nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to lead DHS might ease Democratic opposition, especially since Democrats had previously advocated for the removal of outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. However, the party has maintained its firm stance against funding the agency without significant reforms.

If Democrats follow through on Murphy’s threat to block all Senate business, it could jeopardize several pending pieces of legislation, including a bipartisan housing bill aimed at increasing the supply of affordable homes. The Trump-endorsed voter ID legislation known as the SAVE America Act would also be affected, though Democrats were already expected to largely oppose that measure.

As the political standoff continues, the economic and security implications of the DHS shutdown grow increasingly severe for both travelers and the thousands of federal employees working without compensation.