Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has slammed the Democratic lawmakers, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), calling for an end to the partial government shutdown over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
End The ‘Schumer DHS Shutdown,’ Sean Duffy Says
In a post on the social media platform X on Sunday, Duffy criticized the Democrats, touting a letter by Airlines for America, which is a coalition of major airline operators in the U.S. “AIRLINE CEOs: ENOUGH OF THE SCHUMER DHS SHUTDOWN,” Duffy said in his post.
He hailed the CEOs in the letter for “standing up for @TSA workers,” as the Transportation Security Administration employees missed their paychecks. The letter, addressed to Congress, called for an end to the shutdown and for the employees to get paid.
“Americans — who live in your districts and home states — are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays and flight cancellations caused by shutdown after shutdown,” the letter said, adding that travel related to the Spring Break, as well as the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, could be impacted due to the shutdowns.
“U.S. airlines expect 171 million passengers this spring season, a new record,” the letter said, but lamented the “extraordinarily long” lines at checkpoints across airports. “It’s past time for the government to make sure that TSA officers, U.S. Customs clearance officers at airports and air traffic controllers are paid for the job they do,” the letter said.
TSA Employees Miss Paycheck
The news comes as TSA employees missed their paychecks as the DHS shutdown surpassed four weeks, with over 300 employees having reportedly quit their jobs. Amid the shutdown, the TSA Union Secretary-Treasurer of the Bargaining Unit, Johnny Jones, outlined that some of his colleagues were “donating blood plasma” to pay the bills.
Meanwhile, several major airports across the U.S. have called on the people for support, urging them to donate food, gas, as well as grocery gift cards to TSA employees amid the shutdown.
Why Is The DHS Shut?
The DHS remains shut as lawmakers remain in a deadlock over funding for the agency after multiple instances were recorded of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents being involved in shootings that led to multiple fatalities in the U.S.
According to a report by CNBC last week, Democratic lawmakers proposed a bill that would provide funding for the TSA, Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, but it was blocked.
Meanwhile, GOP leaders proposed a funding package that would fund the DHS for two weeks, which was subsequently blocked by the Democrats, the report said.
New DHS Leader
Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was recently fired from her role following a $220 million government advertising campaign, which she defended in congressional hearings. Trump’s ally, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), looks set to replace Noem as the next leader of the DHS.
The DHS had earlier announced it was shutting down the PreCheck and Global Entry programs, after workforce shortages caused chaos at airports. However, it rolled back the PreCheck suspension following widespread criticism of the move from aviation industry leaders, as well as travelers.
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Photo courtesy: Joshua Sukoff / Shutterstock.com
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