The country is in a partial 36-day government shutdown, caused by a deadlock in Congress over funding the Dept of Homeland Security. A government shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass funding legislation by a deadline. It continues until Congress comes to an agreement and the president signs either a new spending bill or a temporary extension. The federal agencies affected by the shutdown: Homeland Security (TSA workers) departments of the Treasury, Agriculture, Interior, HUD, Commerce, Transportation and State.
The reason for this current shutdown involves disagreements between the Republican and Democrat members of Congress, regarding ICE and the fatal shootings of two civilians (Renee Good and Alex Pretti) by agents that occurred in MN, January 2026. The Democrats want ICE agents to be equipped with body cameras, not wear masks, and to carry visible ID. They also want to expand the ACA tax credits (which were reduced by the BB Bill) as well as protect state sanctuary healthcare (healthcare for immigrants regardless of documentation status, many of which are children or elderly).
Senate Republicans voted Saturday against a proposal introduced by Senator Schumer to suspend rules and fund the TSA, thus paying airport TSA workers. The motion failed 41-49, needing 60 votes to pass.
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Republican Senator Majority Leader, John Thune of SD, referred to the proposal as: “A convoluted attempt to circumvent the Senate Appropriations Committee.” Schumer described the vote as a yes to pay the TSA agents, or a no not to pay them. Thune called for another vote to fund all of the bill (with no changes to it) that would fund the entire Department of Homeland Security. It failed to pass for a 5th time. He stated: “We’ve had countless motions by our side to pass a continuing resolution that would fund all of Homeland Security, including TSA and consistently blocked by this side.”
Senator Pat Murry of WA, Dem Vicechair of Senate Appropriations Committee, responded: “Today Senate Republicans voted against paying TSA agents because they insist on tying TSA funding to their push to give even more money to ICE, without even basic reforms. That is not how this should work and it’s just plain wrong that Republicans are preventing TSA workers from getting paid while airport lines grow around the country.”
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Meanwhile delays continue at US airports as TSA agents do not receive their paychecks and at least 10% don’t show up for work. The average wait times can range from 20 minutes to 2 hours or more, depending on the airport and the day and time of travel.
President Trump threatened today to send ICE agents to airports to assist or replace TSA workers. TSA training takes 6 months or longer, involving classroom and on the job learning and requires a certificate of completion.
Stay safe and stay informed.
