Republicans Reject Bill to Fund Federal Airport Workers

The White House has issued a memo instructing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pay federal airport workers, amid ongoing travel disruptions caused by the partial government shutdown. The Senate had previously passed a bill that would finance most agencies under DHS, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), US Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). However, the bill withheld funding from two branches related to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies: border patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On Friday morning, the Senate unanimously passed the bill. Later that day, House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that he would not bring the legislation to the floor for a vote, stating it was “a joke.” Instead, Johnson suggested that the House could advance its own bill fully funding all DHS agencies for two months.

President Trump signed an executive memo directing DHS to work with the White House budget director to find a way to pay TSA employees. The partial shutdown has resulted in many TSA security agents quitting or refusing to show up for work at airports across the country, with nearly 500 agents leaving their jobs since the shutdown began.

Democratic lawmakers have criticized Republicans for rejecting bills that would ensure TSA employees are paid while withholding additional funds from immigration enforcement. A tax-and-spending bill last July allocated $170 billion for immigration and border operations, in addition to normal spending for ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Democrats have linked further funding for immigration efforts to the implementation of reforms, including an end to racial profiling and clear identification of immigration agents while on duty.

The Trump administration has faced public backlash over its handling of federal immigration agencies, with rights groups accusing it of employing violence and violating civil liberties. Recent incidents, including the shooting deaths of two US citizens during immigration raids in Minneapolis, have further fueled tensions.

Source: Al Jazeera