\n<\/p>\n
The impact of the Department of Homeland Security shutdown is continuing to intensify, leading to frustration from Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who is the only Democrat to support funding the department as it currently stands, as well as hundreds of TSA workers quitting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all have to acknowledge that this shutdown had no impact, zero impact on ICE, all of the funding was already in place there from the Big Beautiful Bill that I did not vote for,\u201d the Democrat told \u201cElizabeth Vargas Reports\u201d on NewsNation this week, and the comments were later shared by the Republican National Committee Research account.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy punish all those TSA agents and all the other people under the DHS umbrella just because the base demands that we just shut it down, knowing, absolutely knowing it will have no impact on ICE,\u201d he added, acknowledging in a CBS News<\/a> interview that he does support reforms to the Trump administration\u2019s immigration policies.<\/p>\n Negotiations on federal immigration enforcement tactics have stalled, as Democrats want to see drastic changes to policies, including the end of masking for agents and the use of judicial warrants to make many immigration-related arrests.<\/p>\n \u201cDemocrats are ready to fund TSA. Republicans are blocking it. Democrats are ready to fund CISA. Republicans are blocking it. Democrats are ready to fund FEMA. And Coast Guard. Republicans are blocking it,\u201d Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted to X on Thursday evening.<\/p>\n A Senate \u201ctest vote\u201d failed 51-46 on Thursday to potentially fully fund the department, which covers agencies like TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA in addition to ICE and Customs and Border Protection, according to Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, TSA agents are working without paychecks as of Friday, which is leading to more callouts and longer lines at airports throughout the country, like Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Friday morning.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not getting rich doing these jobs. They live paycheck to paycheck,\u201d Ken Cuccinelli, a former top Homeland Security official in President Donald Trump\u2019s first term, told The Daily Wire<\/a> earlier this week.<\/p>\n Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told reporters this week that the \u201cimpacts of not funding DHS are real, and they\u2019re in an unsustainable position,\u201d noting that it\u2019s been over two weeks since the White House sent Senate Democrats a counteroffer. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) is considered the lead negotiator for the Republicans on the shutdown, but she\u2019s noted that Democrats have not been cooperative.<\/p>\n \u201cFour different times this afternoon, Republicans offered a 2-week funding stopgap for DHS to reopen and ensure hardworking Americans get paychecks,\u201d Britt posted to X on Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cEach time, Democrats responded with bills that not only defund law enforcement, but defund TSA, Secret Service, Coast Guard, FEMA and more,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n In a statement to The Daily Wire on Friday afternoon, the White House said that they are \u201cinterested in continuing conversations with Democrats about ways to end this shutdown.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDemocrats, regrettably, have chosen to punish the American people with long TSA lines and withholding paychecks from workers who help protect our country,\u201d they added, noting 300 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown started.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n