Signs of Thaw in DHS Shutdown Talks as Airport Security Delays Mount
There are signs of a thaw in the standoff over funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the shutdown approaching 40 days and Congress set to take a two-week recess next week.
Senate Republicans met with President Trump at the White House on Monday night. A source familiar with the talks told The Hill that the president may be willing to separate funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from the other parts of DHS, allowing Congress to fund subagencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
In return, Senate Republicans said they would try to pass additional money for ICE through the Senate reconciliation process, as well as attempting to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and a voter ID to cast a ballot.
“I think we showed him that we can run a parallel process where we can fund DHS now and have a second reconciliation bill that would put a down payment on some of the SAVE [America] Act,” said a person familiar with the meeting.
“I’m more optimistic that by the end of the week, we will fund the Department of Homeland Security,” said Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME).
Democrats say they want to see the language, but are hopeful there is a path forward now.
“The real issue here is the ICE and the ICE practices, you know, they were lawless, and what happened in Minneapolis is shocking. It can never happen again,” said Senator Peter Welch (D-VT). “Let’s debate that, but let’s pay TSA. Let’s get relief funds out for [Federal Emergency Management Agency] folks. Let’s pay the Coast Guard.”
It also comes as the Senate confirmed Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin as the new DHS Secretary, replacing Kristi Noem.
ICE Officers Deployed to Airports
Members of Congress are starting to feel the heat to end the shutdown, especially as security lines mount at the nation’s airports as TSA employees continue to work without pay.
The Trump administration deployed ICE officers at 14 U.S. airports including Atlanta, Phoenix, New Orleans, and New York’s JFK International Airport. The administration says ICE is playing critical support roles, including guarding exits and handling non-screening tasks.
On Sunday, March 22, more than 3,400 TSA officers called out, the most since the start of the DHS shutdown. Lines in some cases stretched to six hours.
Some TSA employees however are skeptical that ICE officers can help with the situation.
"I don't believe that they're trained in a way that they can help us," said TSA Atlanta officer and union representative Pascual Contreras. "I've seen them outside standing around, I don't know if they are doing anything."
