One month into the partial government shutdown, Homeland Security workers still aren’t getting paid, and hundreds of TSA agents are leaving their jobs. Not only is it creating chaos at airports, it’s also a threat to national security.
More than 85,000 Homeland Security personnel are working without pay, and that’s led to resignations, higher call-out rates, and security lines literally out the door at some airports.
“I have never seen it like this before,” said Air traveler Will Sims.
TSA employees are struggling to pay bills, with reports of some sleeping in cars or needing to quit to support their families.
“Morale is low,” said TSA Agent Angela Grana. “Your bills are still going to keep coming, but you have nothing, no way to pay them.”
To ease the burden, some airports are turning to food pantries or accepting donated gas and food cards.
“It hurts the pride when you have to go and stand in the line, you know, to receive food and things, when the only thing you’ve done is show up like you’re supposed to,” said Atlanta airport TSA agent Aaron Barke.
While essential employees are required to work, they will not receive pay until the shutdown ends.
At the heart of the issue is Democrats’ refusal to fund the department over objections to ICE agents’ immigration enforcement tactics.
The CEOs of the nation’s top airlines, in an open letter to Congress published Sunday, implored lawmakers to restore funding to Homeland Security and find a bipartisan solution to pay federal aviation workers.
Democrat Senator Mark Warner of Virginia agrees. “Let’s pay TSA. Let’s pay FEMA. Let’s pay the National Guard, or I’m sorry, the Coast Guard. Let’s pay CISA. I’d even say let’s pay Customs and Border Patrol. If we can’t agree on ICE reforms, let’s pay everybody else,” he said.
Republicans blocked a Democrat-backed measure in the Senate calling for unanimous consent to fund all but ICE. Democrats continue to block Republican short-term measures to fund DHS, while seeking a compromise on ICE reforms.
The deadlock has hampered the functions of TSA and other critical agencies at a time when the U.S. is at war.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) said, “The idea of shutting down the Department of Homeland Security at such a high terror threat level is unconscionable. And I think it’s political malpractice. It is criminal. If they continue this…they will have blood on their hands.”
Recent Terror Attacks in the U.S.
In Michigan, an armed man rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel before being shot by synagogue security.
And in Virginia, a man opened fire inside a classroom during an ROTC session, killing a retired military officer and wounding two others before he was killed.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says the shutdown has become a national security issue. “These are people that we expect look for bombs on aircraft that we and our families are about to board, and they’re not being funded do this very, very important work,” he said.
This is the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers without pay.
