Office of Science and Technology Policy

03/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/20/2026 14:12

Democrats’ DHS Shutdown Enters 35th Day as Airports Plunge into Chaos, Frontline Workers Suffer

Democrats' DHS Shutdown Enters 35th Day as Airports Plunge into Chaos, Frontline Workers Suffer

The White House
March 20, 2026

As Radical Left Democrats force the Department of Homeland Security shutdown into its 35th day, everyday Americans are bearing the cost. More than 100,000 DHS employees - including 50,000 TSA officers - are working without paychecks for the third time in six months, leading to skyrocketing resignations and massive callouts that have crippled airports across the country.

Americans are suffering from Democrats' continued refusal to fund DHS:

  • "I feel bad for the workers… They need to be paid!" said travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where hours-long lines snaked through the concourse after more than one-third of TSA officers called out.
  • "We were going to go on 11, but we rebooked to 4:30… We got here three-and-a-half hours early," said a frustrated traveler at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, where lines snaked down to the floor below due to staffing shortages.
  • "Unreal. Longest [TSA line] I've been in - and I travel every week," said a traveler at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, where even the TSA PreCheck line stretched to the parking garage.
  • "It's so overwhelming… The TSA line was out the door around the building outside," said a traveler at Philadelphia International Airport, where major checkpoints have been shut down due to ongoing staffing shortages.

Democrats' damage extends well beyond airports. Critical DHS missions - including law enforcement operations, FEMA disaster response, cybersecurity protection, and other key functions - are being strained by unpaid workers, limited resources, and dangerous staffing shortfalls.

The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress have repeatedly negotiated in good faith - yet Democrats continue to hold DHS hostage, insisting on radical, unserious demands that shield illegal aliens at the expense of American citizens and frontline workers.

Enough is enough. Radical Left Democrats - who bragged about "making people hurt" - must immediately cease their partisan games, stop weaponizing national security for political gain, and join Republicans in passing full funding for DHS.

Office of Science and Technology Policy published this content on March 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 20, 2026 at 20:12 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]