A standoff over funding for the Department of Homeland Security has triggered the most recent government shutdown. Tensions across the country against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have stalled Congress from passing a bill that would continue to fund the department.
A shutdown occurred on Jan. 31 when a general spending package failed. Utah Senator Mike Lee was among the members of congress who asked to separate DHS funding from the rest of the package.
“This funding package is chock full of wasteful earmarks – the currency of corruption – and spends taxpayer money on discretionary government programs that need to end,” Lee said in a statement to ABC4 News. “Americans demand fiscal responsibility from Congress, so I voted no.”
A two week temporary spending bill was passed. After the two weeks expired and a resolution wasn’t passed, the government effectively shut down.
TSA employees are working without pay again which typically leads to slower lines, mass callouts from employees and cancelled flights. Typically the longer a shutdown, the more delays and cancellations there are. The TSA includes those who check your bags, air traffic controllers and security specialists.
Although the January shutdown only lasted a few days, the setback on passing the bill primarily focused on ICE funding within the DHS. Now that the spending package is separate, it’s unlikely a resolution will pass within the near future.
For SUU students, spring break is March 8-14 which will mark three weeks of the shutdown if a resolution isn’t passed. Since the funding will determine funding for both ICE and the TSA, as long as there are reservations from members of Congress, there won’t be funding for TSA either.
Some Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern about ICE operations and have listed demands for the bill before they will approve it. The demands include requiring IDs and prohibiting agents from wearing masks.
ICE was established in 2003, but publicity surrounding the department has gained national attention after the recent shootings in Minneapolis.
Author: Hannah Clove
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Editor: Brooklyn Beard
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