Advertisement
Day 5 of DHS shutdown: Unpaid workers, frozen funds and no deal in sight
The Department of Homeland Security shutdown has entered its fifth day, with key agencies like FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard affected.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has reached its fifth day, affecting key agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Coast Guard, as negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats remain stalled. Both sides remain far apart, and a deal appears unlikely in the near term, in part because Congress is out of Washington until next week. The White House says it continues to exchange proposals with Democrats.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the latest offer from Democrats, calling it “very unserious,” and warning that “Americans are going to be impacted by this.”At TSA, screeners are still on the job but without pay. During past shutdowns, more workers called out as missed paychecks piled up.FEMA’s grant system is not fully operational during the lapse, preventing some disaster and public safety payments from being processed. This leaves billions of dollars in approved funding temporarily frozen, money meant for firefighters, police departments, and emergency managers across the country.The Coast Guard and Secret Service are also continuing daily operations, though employees there could miss paychecks depending on how long negotiations drag on.The standoff centers on Democratic demands for new limits on immigration enforcement, which include requiring judicial warrants for arrests, removing masks from ICE agents and an end to “roving patrols.”House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said, “ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) needs to be reformed in a dramatic, bold, meaningful and transformational manner, and if that doesn’t happen, the DHS funding bill will not move forward.”While FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard face funding shortfalls, immigration enforcement continues uninterrupted, backed by carryover funds from last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”Cities and states have moved to limit cooperation with ICE. On Tuesday, Maryland’s governor signed legislation preventing local police departments from entering into agreements with ICE. “We will continue to coordinate on shared public safety priorities, including the lawful removal of non-citizen offenders who pose a risk to public safety,” Gov. Wes Moore said.Leavitt called it a “despicable action” that will harm federal agents and residents.Many of Maryland’s sheriffs said they will continue to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement even after the 287(g) agreements were banned.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has reached its fifth day, affecting key agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Coast Guard, as negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats remain stalled.
Both sides remain far apart, and a deal appears unlikely in the near term, in part because Congress is out of Washington until next week. The White House says it continues to exchange proposals with Democrats.
Advertisement
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the latest offer from Democrats, calling it “very unserious,” and warning that “Americans are going to be impacted by this.”
At TSA, screeners are still on the job but without pay. During past shutdowns, more workers called out as missed paychecks piled up.
FEMA’s grant system is not fully operational during the lapse, preventing some disaster and public safety payments from being processed. This leaves billions of dollars in approved funding temporarily frozen, money meant for firefighters, police departments, and emergency managers across the country.
The Coast Guard and Secret Service are also continuing daily operations, though employees there could miss paychecks depending on how long negotiations drag on.
The standoff centers on Democratic demands for new limits on immigration enforcement, which include requiring judicial warrants for arrests, removing masks from ICE agents and an end to “roving patrols.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said, “ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) needs to be reformed in a dramatic, bold, meaningful and transformational manner, and if that doesn’t happen, the DHS funding bill will not move forward.”
While FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard face funding shortfalls, immigration enforcement continues uninterrupted, backed by carryover funds from last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Cities and states have moved to limit cooperation with ICE. On Tuesday, Maryland’s governor signed legislation preventing local police departments from entering into agreements with ICE.
“We will continue to coordinate on shared public safety priorities, including the lawful removal of non-citizen offenders who pose a risk to public safety,” Gov. Wes Moore said.
Leavitt called it a “despicable action” that will harm federal agents and residents.
Many of Maryland’s sheriffs said they will continue to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement even after the 287(g) agreements were banned.
