Homeland Security Funding Stalls: What It Means for Your Airport Experience

WASHINGTON — Efforts to secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security hit a roadblock in the Senate on Friday, as a proposal failed to advance amid mounting concerns over lengthy security lines at major U.S. airports.

Senate Democrats withheld their support for the measure, preventing it from moving forward. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York announced plans to introduce an alternative funding proposal on Saturday, focusing solely on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is responsible for screening passengers and luggage. However, this effort is also expected to face challenges during the Senate’s unusual weekend session.

Meanwhile, behind closed doors, negotiations continued in earnest on Friday. White House border czar Tom Homan engaged in a second day of discussions with a bipartisan group of senators. The talks are part of broader Democratic demands for changes in immigration enforcement practices following the tragic shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.

Democratic participants in the meeting with Homan remained tight-lipped afterward. However, Republican Senator Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, noted that the White House has enhanced its proposal in an attempt to break the deadlock, though she refrained from providing details.

“It’s a very fair, reasonable offer,” Collins remarked, expressing hope that negotiations would resume on Saturday. “But that depends on whether the Democrats come back with a response.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that he sees “deal space” coming out of the discussions with the White House. But he also questioned whether Democrats were serious about reaching any agreement that would provide more money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“This is a pox on everybody’s house,” Thune said. “You’ve got people standing in lines at the airports. This needs to be fixed. It needs to get resolved and there are good-faith efforts being made finally on all the relevant issues.”

On the Senate floor, Schumer said he agreed that TSA needs to be reopened as quickly as possible – but not under the terms Republicans are offering, which is to fund the entire Homeland Security department. Democrats are looking to fund TSA while continuing negotiations on Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Tomorrow, America will see the matter crystal clear: which senators want to open up TSA, pay TSA workers, and end the chaos at our airports, and which senators are going to block TSA funding yet again,” Schumer said.

The vast majority of employees at TSA are considered essential and continue to work during the government funding lapse, but they are doing so without pay. Call-out rates have started to increase at some airports, leading to longer screening times for many passengers.

Democrats have demanded an array of policy changes as part of a funding bill that include requiring ICE agents to get a warrant from a judge before forcefully entering homes. They also are looking to require agents to wear identifying information on their uniforms and ban the use of masks.

“The American people have had enough of this rogue agency. We need to rein it in. And we are negotiating right now over how to do that,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Trump administration says it has agreed to several changes already, including expanded use of body-worn cameras, with an exception for undercover operations, and limited civil enforcement activities at certain sensitive locations, such as hospitals, schools and places of worship. Republicans also note that Trump has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and put Homan in charge of operations in Minneapolis, actions they say show the administration’s intent to make changes in ICE’s operations.

Congress is scheduled to go on an extended break near the end of the month for a two-week Easter recess. Thune has threatened to keep senators in Washington if the impasse is not resolved.

“I can’t see us taking a break if the government is still shut down,” Thune said.