Trending Now - Lawmakers Address DHS Shutdown Amid Security Concerns

WHO:

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas

Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas

Kristen Welker, NBC

Jake Tapper, CNN

WHAT:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently shut down.

Thousands of DHS workers are without pay.

TSA agents are quitting due to not being paid, leading to long lines at airports.

The DHS shutdown began on February 14th, 2026.

Democrats have attempted multiple times to fund TSA, CISA, and the Coast Guard, but Republicans have voted down these proposals.

Sen. John Cornyn stated that ICE has already been funded through Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill from 2025.

WHERE:

West Bloomfield, Michigan

Norfolk, Virginia

Washington, D.C.

Miami International Airport, Florida

North Texas

WHEN:

The DHS shutdown began on February 14th, 2026.

Sen. Adam Schiff was at the U.S. Capitol on September 17th, 2025.

The Java House Grand Prix of Arlington took place from March 13th to March 15th, 2026.

WHY:

The shutdown is primarily due to disagreements over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Democrats are accused of holding up DHS funding to protest actions taken by ICE.

HOW:

Democrats have proposed separating ICE funding from other DHS funding to allow for the funding of agencies like TSA and FEMA.

Rep. Roger Williams referred to the situation as a "Democratic shutdown" and criticized the political nature of the funding impasse.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 23:03 UTC)

The Department of Homeland Security is currently shut down, leaving thousands of workers without pay and causing TSA agents to quit, which has led to long lines at airports across the country. The shutdown, which began on February 14, is primarily due to disagreements over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with Democrats attempting to separate ICE funding from other DHS funding to ensure agencies like TSA and FEMA receive support. In response, Rep. Roger Williams has labeled the situation a "Democratic shutdown," criticizing the political maneuvering surrounding the funding impasse.