U.S. Government Shutdown Continues to Impact Homeland Security Operations

The U.S. Senate failed once again on March 20 to advance legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security, prolonging a shutdown that has persisted for over a month. According to Jin10, the ongoing shutdown has severely affected the operations of agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The impact is most evident in airport security systems nationwide. U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, stated on March 20 that the continued shutdown of government agencies increases security risks in the United States. The Department of Transportation also reported that approximately 10% of TSA employees are currently on leave, which is five times the normal rate.