Shutdown squeezes DHS, sending PreCheck passengers to back of the line
The Department of Homeland Security said it is taking emergency measures to conserve funding and personnel after a weeklong partial government shutdown, which the department blamed on congressional Democrats.
With Congress in recess until Monday, it is likely to be at least another day or two before lawmakers make any movement to restore funding for the agency.
In a statement, DHS said the funding lapse forced the agency to scale back operations and redirect limited resources to what it described as critical national security and public safety missions. The changes took effect Sunday at 6 a.m. ET.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the shutdown is the third affecting the department during the 119th Congress. She said the funding lapse has consequences for department employees and national security operations.
The Transportation Security Administration will close TSA PreCheck lanes and direct those travelers into general screening lines. The agency said it will also suspend all courtesy escorts at airports, including those provided to members of Congress. TSA said it is consolidating resources to prioritize standard passenger screening and threat detection during the funding lapse.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will halt Global Entry arrival processing at participating airports. Officers assigned to Global Entry will be reassigned to primary inspection lanes for arriving travelers.
Global Entry members who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents will be directed to standard primary processing lanes for citizens and permanent residents, while other members will use visitor lanes. CBP also said it is suspending port courtesies for members of Congress, including escorts and tours, to redirect personnel to core border security duties.
DHS shutdown fallout
The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts will continue during the shutdown because U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has separate funding under legislation passed last summer.
However, DHS’ independent watchdog warned that the funding lapse could disrupt ongoing oversight work and investigations.
DHS said travel, deployments and operational support across components will be limited to those necessary to respond to active disasters and other life-safety emergencies. The department said normal operations would resume once Congress restores funding.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will halt all non-disaster-related activities and shift to what it called “bare-minimum, life-saving operations.” Public assistance for ongoing or past disasters will be paused, and long-term recovery, planning and administrative work not tied to immediate threats to life or safety will stop. FEMA said it will focus only on active disasters involving immediate risks to life, public health or safety. New initiatives and discretionary programs are suspended until funding is restored.
For people like Rita Henderson of St. Louis, FEMA disaster funds are the lifeline to rebuilding following a disaster. Henderson was among thousands left homeless in an EF3 tornado on May 16.
On Oct. 21, U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo., introduced legislation designed to guarantee that FEMA can continue providing disaster relief and recovery assistance during lapses in federal funding.
“This spring, the St. Louis region was hit by devastating tornadoes, and we couldn’t have afforded to wait for assistance any longer than we did,” Bell said in a statement. “Families rebuilding their lives after a disaster should never have to wait for Congress to get its act together before receiving life-saving help.”
The legislation remains in committee.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
