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.
“We 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,” the Democrat told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” on NewsNation this week, and the comments were later shared by the Republican National Committee Research account.
“Why 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,” he added, acknowledging in a CBS News interview that he does support reforms to the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
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.
“Democrats 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,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted to X on Thursday evening.
A Senate “test vote” 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.
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.
“They’re not getting rich doing these jobs. They live paycheck to paycheck,” Ken Cuccinelli, a former top Homeland Security official in President Donald Trump’s first term, told The Daily Wire earlier this week.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told reporters this week that the “impacts of not funding DHS are real, and they’re in an unsustainable position,” noting that it’s 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’s noted that Democrats have not been cooperative.
“Four different times this afternoon, Republicans offered a 2-week funding stopgap for DHS to reopen and ensure hardworking Americans get paychecks,” Britt posted to X on Thursday.
“Each time, Democrats responded with bills that not only defund law enforcement, but defund TSA, Secret Service, Coast Guard, FEMA and more,” she added.
The Daily Wire reached out to Schumer’s office and the White House for comment.
