The Senate this morning votes to fund most of Homeland Security to end a 40-day partial government shutdown. This bipartisan deal gives emergency funding to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Coast Guard. However, this deal avoids any funding for immigration control, as the deadlock has been over the future of the ICE agency.
The funding lapse has caused great chaos at the major US airports. Due to the shutdown, the TSA has been operating without pay. As a result, many officers voluntarily resigned and checkpoints became significantly under-staffed. This Senate vote to fund most of the Homeland Security update indicates the Senate is taking a ‘piecemeal’ strategy for the continued openings of the government.
Removing the Severe Disruption at US Airports
The government shutdown has caused severe inconveniences to travelers. At the Houston airport, the TSA has reported that they were only able to man 2 out of every 5 checkpoints and the lines stretched across multiple floors, resulting in hours of wait time for passengers. The new funding deal is expected to allow the TSA to return to full staffing in the immediate future.
President Donald Trump made it known that he’d sign an executive order that pays TSA agents. He justified his decision by claiming he had to “rescue” American air travel. Senate Majority John Thune attributed the blame to the other side as Thune said the other side won’t negotiate on a broader deal. He added that funding the department piece by piece is not how you govern properly.
Exclusion of ICE Despite Human Rights Issues
Senate Democrats were adamant about removing ICE and border patrol from the deal. The prevailing sentiment as the US Senate votes to fund the remaining parts of Homeland Security is distrust towards the immigration system. Aimed at border patrol, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said there will be “no blank cheque” for border patrol agencies going on shooting sprees, referring to the recent shooting in Minneapolis.
Lawmakers have a list of reforms they want to see before funding immigration enforcement activities. These include:
- No more use of masks by ICE agents.
- A ban on racial profiling during ICE raids.
- No judicial warrants, no entry to private property.
Next Steps at the House of Representatives
The measure is headed to the US House of Representatives next, where they are to cast the final vote. Should the vote result in an affirmation, the essential agencies, including the TSA, will be able to continue their operations. On the other hand, the fate of ICE is, for now, uncertain. The political battle regarding immigration and borders is showing no signs of pausing.
The current priority is to address the backlog at the national airports. The Directors of Aviation are optimistic that the return of salaries will halt the wave of resignations. The rest of the world will wait and see if this temporary measure will be enough to secure the country’s key transport hubs. The debate around security and civil liberties continues to be an issue that divides the political elite in Washington.
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