Johnson Squeezes Schumer As DHS Shutdown Drags On, Airport Delays Mount
House Republicans are ramping up pressure on Senate Democrats as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown stretches into its sixth week, with no resolution in sight.
Speaker Mike Johnson is preparing to put Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his colleagues on the spot with two key votes scheduled for Thursday. The move is designed to highlight Democrats’ refusal to fund DHS while the agency remains partially shuttered.
The first vote will push for a House-approved DHS funding bill, extending government operations through the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The measure is based on a bipartisan deal negotiated earlier this year, but Democrats largely walked out of the process in protest of President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to secure the border and curb illegal immigration.
The second action is a nonbinding resolution sponsored by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, designed to show broad support for all DHS agencies.
The stakes are growing as the 38-day shutdown disrupts travelers nationwide. TSA staffing shortages have led to multi-hour delays at major airports in Houston, New Orleans, New York City, and elsewhere, with many agents calling in sick. By Friday, TSA employees are expected to miss their second paycheck since the shutdown began.
DHS encompasses multiple agencies critical to national security, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“Anyone waiting for hours just to miss their flights will not soon forget, and Republicans are going to continue reminding Americans that it’s the Democrats putting their safety at risk just to protect criminal illegal aliens,” a House GOP leadership aide told Fox News Digital on Monday.
“The problem for Democrats in their latest shutdown is they are hurting American citizens in an effort to protect criminal illegals and reopen our border, as evidenced by their own words and bills they are pushing to defund Customs and Border Patrol,” the aide added.
Negotiations remain deadlocked, as Republicans reject Democrat demands for changes to ICE and CBP operations, including judicial warrants for immigration actions and restrictions on agents’ use of face masks. President Trump further complicated talks by instructing GOP members not to accept any offer until Democrats agree to move forward with the SAVE America Act, a measure aimed at election integrity.
Because of the Senate filibuster, even a House-approved DHS funding bill requires support from at least a few Democrats to advance. The House has already passed two prior versions of the bill, and Rep. Juan Ciscomani is sponsoring the third iteration.
“This standoff has gone on long enough,” Ciscomani said. “The men and women who keep our country safe here at home are a critical part of our national security—they need to get paid, now. These professionals should never be caught in the middle of political games, yet that’s exactly what has happened. It’s shameful.”
The nonbinding resolution honoring DHS is also expected to pass, though Democratic support remains uncertain.
“Instead of joining the bipartisan majority in supporting full funding for DHS, including commonsense reforms like body cameras and de-escalation training, Democratic leadership is afraid of the radical ‘Defund ICE’ movement and unwilling to compromise to protect the American people,” Mackenzie said. “This situation is unacceptable, and it must end immediately.”
Democrats, including Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have defended their opposition, citing controversial ICE operations in Minneapolis and other blue cities as justification for blocking funding for immigration enforcement.