With Republicans at the helm of the House, Senate, and the White House, a resolution to secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security remains elusive. As the DHS shutdown extends into its fifth week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has proposed a compromise to President Donald Trump. This proposal aims to finance all divisions within the department except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to Punchbowl News, this package was crafted to garner support from both Democrats and a few Republican members.
Trump Rejects Proposal Aimed at Easing Airport Disruptions
However, the President reportedly dismissed the proposal, which sought to ensure TSA operations and mitigate airport disruptions without conceding to major Democratic demands, such as prohibiting immigration agents from wearing masks. Trump has also indicated that he expects lawmakers to cancel their upcoming two-week Easter recess, stating he would criticize those who opt for vacation. As an alternative, he offered to host Republican senators and their families at the White House for Easter if no agreement is reached.
Some lawmakers perceive this as a thinly veiled ‘threat,’ as they wish to spend the religious holiday with their families, according to Punchbowl. In a Truth Social post on Sunday night, Trump urged the passage of the SAVE Act, which mandates voter ID, and suggested that legislators should remain in Washington, D.C., over Easter if needed. Additionally, in a previous post on Sunday morning, he mentioned plans to deploy ICE agents to airports to help manage the ongoing disruptions.
Trump Announces ICE Support for TSA at Airports
‘On Monday, ICE will be going to airports to help our wonderful TSA Agents who have stayed on the job despite the fact that the Radical Left Democrats, who are only focused on protecting hard line criminals who have entered our Country illegally, are endangering the USA by holding back the money that was long ago agreed to with signed and sealed contracts, and all,’ Trump noted. ‘But watch, no matter how great a job ICE does, the Lunatics leading the incompetent Dems will be highly critical of their work. THEY WILL DO A FANTASTIC JOB. The great Tom Homan is in charge!!! President DJT,’ he added. Homan told CNN’s State of the Union anchor Dana Bash on Sunday ‘that ICE agents receive a high level of training. And ICE agents are assigned at many airports across the country already. They do a lot of investigation, criminal investigation on smuggling at airports.’
‘You got TSA agents covering exits, people that enter through the exits. Certainly, a highly trained ICE law enforcement officer can cover an exit and makes sure people don’t go through those exits, entering the airport through the exits. And stuff like that relieves that TSA officer to go to screening and to reduce those lines,’ Homan added. Homan appears to be Trump’s go-to fixer for all things DHS, as the agency does not currently have a secretary at the helm. Trump’s nominee for DHS Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, is expected to pass a confirmation vote on Monday evening.
