The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stretched to over 45 days amid a deadlock over immigration funding. The impasse began February 14 when Democrats demanded changes to ICE and Border Patrol operations following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis: Renee Good, killed by an ICE agent on January 7, and Alex Pretti, killed by Customs and Border Protection officers on January 24.
This lapse severely disrupted air travel, leaving TSA officers unpaid for weeks. Hundreds of screeners have quit and thousands more have missed shifts, triggering nationwide airport bottlenecks with wait times stretching up to four hours at the hardest-hit hubs.
To alleviate the crisis, President Trump signed a directive Friday, directing funds to compensate screeners. Most TSA officers began receiving retroactive back pay Monday, though union officials noted concerns about missing overtime payments and improper tax withholding. The broader DHS shutdown persists, with both chambers unable to reconcile their competing funding bills.
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