Democrat DHS Shutdown Undermines Homeland Security at Critical Moment
Washington, D.C. – Nearly three weeks into the Democrats’ shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, the American people are facing an evolving threat environment. Democrats must agree to the bipartisan, bicameral funding agreement they helped negotiate in January.
Senate Democrats irresponsibly shut down DHS, knowingly limiting the capabilities of the department responsible for protecting Americans from dangerous individuals.
The attack in Austin, TX, over the weekend underscores the need for our homeland security teams to be fully funded and functioning. In what is being investigated as a potential lone-wolf terror attack, a Senegalese immigrant – seemingly motivated by support for the murderous regime in Iran – opened fire on a bar in Austin, killing multiple Americans.
Following President Trump’s successful strike on Iran, terrorist allies already inside our borders are likely seeking openings to retaliate. Democrats’ refusal to fully fund DHS is reckless, increasing the danger to every American.
The threat environment is not theoretical. Millions of unvetted, illegal immigrants released under the Biden Administration remain in our communities, along with an estimated 2 million known “gotaways.” Nearly 400 individuals on the terror watch list were caught trying to enter our country illegally during the Biden Administration – and those are just the ones we know about. Violent gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as well as Taliban terrorists released from Afghan prisons, are present inside the United States.
Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “Once again, Democrats have chosen political games over the safety of the American people – and, as usual, their timing could not be worse. President Trump is delivering peace through strength abroad, but Democrats are undermining our defenses at home. This puts every American at risk. And for what? Shutdowns never work. It’s never a good idea to hold government funding hostage – for any reason. The first duty of government is to protect its citizens. My colleagues will have the opportunity this week to put senseless partisanship aside and do the responsible thing by funding DHS and ensuring safety for the American people. I hope they make the right choice.”
The safety of the American people is non-negotiable. At a time of rising global tensions, evolving terror threats, and severe weather at home, preparedness delayed is security denied.
Democrats will have another opportunity this week to do the right thing, end the shutdown, and fully fund DHS with the bipartisan deal they already agreed to. It’s time to stop putting politics ahead of protection.
The vote is simple: defend the homeland or deliberately defund it.
Background:
Democrats previously agreed to a bipartisan, bicameral bill to fund DHS through the end of FY26, but turned their backs on that deal at the last minute, forcing a shutdown of DHS. They continue to hold critical security funding hostage over radical partisan demands that impede immigration enforcement.
While CBP and ICE continue operations through supplemental funding provided in the OBBBA, critical agencies protecting Americans are operating at limited capacity:
- CISA: Iran is known for its targeting and hacking of U.S. critical infrastructure, such as water facilities. At a moment of heightened risk, CISA is operating at limited capacity. Democrats’ vote to defund CISA weakens our nation’s cyber defense agency and sets back emergency communications, risk assessments, and our ability to defend hospitals, energy grids, and more against attacks.
- Coast Guard: The Coast Guard, whose maritime search and rescue, port security, drug interdiction patrols, and other critical missions risk disruption. Further, Coastguardsmen and women – some of whom are in the direct line of fire in Bahrain due to the recent hostilities in Iran – deserve to know they have full resources and support behind them.
- Secret Service: Iran’s regime and its intelligence networks have a documented history of directing assassination plots and violent operations against U.S. interests – including a foiled plan to kill President Trump ahead of the 2024 election. Now is not the time to limit the agency charged with protecting our leaders and securing major national events. The Democrats’ shutdown is impacting security preparations that are already underway for America 250 celebrations, the FIFA World Cup, the 2028 LA Olympics, and more national events.
- TSA: Nobody wants another 9/11. TSA personnel stand on the frontlines of aviation security every day – keeping airports safe, secure, and moving. Yet, the same Democrat politicians voting against funding for these critical personnel rely on them to screen their flights back to Washington. Forcing TSA officers to work without pay erodes morale, strains staffing, increases the likelihood of long security lines and travel delays, and ultimately weakens the security posture millions of Americans depend on.
- FEMA: FEMA has substantially drawn down the Disaster Relief Fund in recent weeks. With operations already scaled back to bare-minimum, life-saving functions, further depletion of these critical resources jeopardizes preparedness, response, and recovery efforts just as additional and intense winter storms are on the horizon. Additionally, FEMA has halted almost all critical trainings for emergency managers across our communities, which undermines the nation’s ability to respond to disasters – whether natural or man-made.
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI): This shutdown is hindering HSI, the department’s premier federal law enforcement agency, from carrying out its mission of investigating wide-ranging illicit activity such as drugs and weapons smuggling or cyber and financial crime. HSI leads the federal government in combating child exploitation and human trafficking.
- Air Traffic Controllers: Democrats are denying air traffic controllers a pay raise, which is included in this bill.
H.R. 7744, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
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