Lawmakers vent frustration over DHS shutdown as lines grow at nation’s airports

Senators Clash Over Homeland Security Funding as Airport Delays Worsen

Republican and Democratic senators expressed growing frustration Wednesday over the stalemate in funding the Department of Homeland Security, as Americans face increasingly lengthy airport security lines nationwide. The funding impasse, now entering its fourth week, shows little sign of resolution.

During an hours-long debate on the Senate floor, both parties blocked each other’s temporary funding proposals, highlighting the deep divisions over immigration enforcement policies that have paralyzed negotiations since the shutdown began February 14.

“We are in a negotiation. However, we are not close,” acknowledged Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, during the contentious session. Democrats have insisted they would fund most DHS operations but not Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) without significant operational changes.

Schatz emphasized that Democrats’ concerns transcend political calculations, particularly following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. “When we saw Renee Good and Alex Pretti killed, this became an issue that was beyond politics,” Schatz said. “There are a lot of us who are not going to provide resources to this agency that is acting in such ways that makes citizens of the United States so unsafe.”

Republicans maintained an equally firm stance against the Democrats’ proposed operational changes. “Let me be clear, we are going to do nothing — nothing — that kneecaps ICE’s ability to enforce our immigration laws,” countered Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.

The DHS funding bill remains the only outstanding appropriation after Congress completed work on 11 of this year’s 12 funding packages. Democrats are demanding several policy changes, including prohibiting ICE enforcement operations at sensitive locations like schools and churches, allowing independent investigations into alleged wrongdoing, requiring judicial warrants before agents can forcibly enter private homes, and mandating that agents wear identification and remove masks during operations.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., claimed Republicans have repeatedly reached out to Democrats. “The last offer on Homeland Security funding came from the White House nearly two weeks ago and there has been no response from the Democrats,” Thune said. “Usually, around here, in order to get a deal, there has to be a negotiation where the two sides sit down together.”

Sen. Patty Murray, the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, disputed this characterization. She insisted she continues to speak with Republican colleagues but described these discussions as falling short of “real negotiations.” Murray emphasized that the White House needs to participate directly, expressing specific concerns about presidential advisor Stephen Miller.

“I am willing to talk to people, but I’m not willing to sit in a room, have coffee, give away a few things and have Stephen Miller override whatever we all agree to,” Murray said. “We need to know the White House is serious.”

The standoff reflects deeper tensions over immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has dramatically increased ICE arrests and detentions. Earlier this year, appropriators had agreed to a DHS funding bill that included resources for de-escalation training and $20 million for body-worn cameras for immigration agents, but that agreement collapsed following the Pretti shooting in Minneapolis.

In the latest procedural maneuvering, Murray offered a proposal to fund all DHS operations except for ICE and CBP, which Republicans blocked. Similarly, Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., proposed a two-week funding extension for the entire department to allow federal workers to receive paychecks while negotiations continued, but Democrats objected.

The impasse’s most visible impact has been at the nation’s airports, where TSA staffing shortages have created significant delays. Houston’s secondary airport experienced the worst problems, with security lines consistently exceeding three hours on Sunday and Monday. Passengers in New Orleans and Atlanta also faced waits of more than an hour.

This marks the second time in recent months that the majority of DHS’s 260,000 employees have been forced to work without pay, following last fall’s record 43-day shutdown. The current situation has prompted concern from business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which called on Congress to swiftly approve funding.

“Blocking operational funding and paychecks for those who help us travel safely is wrong and strains the air travel system,” said Neil Bradley, the Chamber’s executive vice president and chief policy officer, highlighting growing concerns about the economic impact of travel disruptions as the shutdown persists.

DHS officials have taken to social media to blame Democrats for the shutdown, claiming it “has led to HOURS long security lines at airports across the country, leading Americans to miss their spring break flights.”