DHS Blames Democrats For Shutdown-Forced Disaster Aid Restrictions

The Department of Homeland Security announced Sunday it was taking measures to conserve “funds and personnel” to avoid risks to national security and public safety during a lapse in federal funding.

Multiple agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), are being subjected to “emergency measures” due to the partial government shutdown, according to a DHS release. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also accused congressional Democrats of putting politics ahead of public safety.

“This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,” Noem said in a statement included in the release. “Shutdowns have real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security. The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians.”

“TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts,” Noem continued. “FEMA will halt all non-disaster related response to prioritize disasters. This is particularly important, given this weekend another significant winter storm is forecast to impact the Mid-Atlantic and northeast United States.”

Democrats are demanding new restrictions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after DHS officers were involved in the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in January. Their deaths occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a deployment of hundreds of federal agents to Minnesota in response to reports about welfare fraud involving Somali migrants.

The measures, however, limit FEMA’s public assistance to “new or recent disasters requiring immediate emergency action to protect lives or prevent catastrophic damage.” All other efforts which do not “address an imminent threat” will be put on hold.

TSA will end “courtesy escorts” for people, including members of Congress, but will ensure any interim process “does not sacrifice security.” CBP is also pausing its Global Entry program and “port courtesies” for senators and congressmen for the duration of the shutdown.

“Democrat members of Congress are getting paid, but they’re withholding @TSA workers pay checks. Democrats in Congress have chosen to not fund @DHSgov, which means that all of our TSA workers who showed up today are not getting paid,” Noem praised in a Sunday post on X. “The men and women of TSA work hard to make sure you and your loved ones can fly safely. This political theater is only making it hard on them and their families. If you see a TSA officer today, thank them!”

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