Congress Returns as DHS Shutdown Shows No Signs of Ending; First Missed Paychecks Loom
Congress is back on Capitol Hill but an end to the 11-day Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown does not appear to be near. DHS workers, the vast majority of whom are on the job without pay, are set to miss their first paychecks this coming Friday.
Discussions have yielded little in recent days, and both sides are digging in. Some are signaling there may be change after the State of the Union on Tuesday night, but that remains to be seen.
Democrats are demanding changes to immigration enforcement policy, including an end to roving patrols, tighter warrant requirements, and a ban on law enforcement wearing masks in most situations.
According to The Hill, some Republicans see the missed paychecks as a pressure point.
“[The shutdown] gets real going into the weekend if people are being required to show up to work and not get paid. That’s when it becomes sympathetic and real,” one Senate Republican said.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats appear united in their demands for reform.
Even moderates who voted to end the record-long 2025 shutdown are firmly standing behind their stance.
“I don’t know the pathway,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). “I can only say at this moment and this time, the changes that we are demanding have to occur.”
Confusion over Global Entry, TSA PreCheck
Meanwhile, Democrats are accusing the White House of playing hardball by suspending the Global Entry program at U.S. airports. The administration also announced that TSA PreCheck would close before backtracking after an outcry from lawmakers and travel groups.
“The Trump administration is choosing to inflict pain on the public instead of adopting common sense ICE reforms,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
And the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is also stopping non-disaster related response to prioritize disasters.
“Shutdowns have real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
