The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown became the longest funding lapse in history over the weekend, with a potential resolution months away. President Donald Trump has given Republicans a June 1 deadline to fully fund the department. This standoff has ignited blame between parties, though top Republicans are now presenting a unified front after initial infighting. Tens of thousands of DHS employees are facing financial hardship, and American travelers are experiencing significant delays at airports.

Losers in the DHS Shutdown

GOP Divisions

Though largely unified during a previous shutdown in fall 2025, internal Republican divisions have surfaced in the current fight. House GOP leadership rejected a bipartisan Senate deal funding most of DHS while deferring funding for ICE and CBP. The House then passed its own proposal, which Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., deemed “dead on arrival.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., opted against a symbolic vote destined to fail. Speaker Johnson insisted his conference’s proposal was the best path forward, stating, “The Senate has to do their job and help us on this heavy lift.” However, President Trump intervened, urging Republicans to prioritize immigration enforcement and border security in a future budget reconciliation package – aligning with Senate Republicans’ preferred approach. Johnson and Thune subsequently issued a joint statement endorsing Trump’s June 1 deadline. Despite this unity, some House conservatives, like Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., are calling for Thune’s removal from Senate leadership.

Democrats’ Immigration Demands

Top Democrats initiated the partial government shutdown in mid-February, seeking reforms to immigration enforcement following incidents involving federal immigration agents. However, their proposals are unlikely to be met, as Republicans consistently rejected attempts at consensus. Senator Thune stated, “The Dems wanted reforms. We tried to work with them on reforms. They ended up getting no reforms.” These proposals included restrictions on ICE agents’ attire, warrant requirements for home entries, and protections for sensitive locations. The Senate’s rejected deal did not include any of these demands. Despite this, Schumer claimed victory, noting Senate Republicans agreed to a deal that didn’t fully fund ICE and CBP. “Throughout it all, Senate Democrats stood united — no wavering, no backing down,” Schumer said. “We held the line.”

TSA Agents

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, earning an average of $47,000 annually, were forced to work for six weeks without pay before President Trump took action to begin compensating them. This led to agents sleeping in cars, selling blood plasma, and taking on additional jobs. Over 500 TSA agents have resigned during the funding lapse, according to DHS. Agents also faced a similar shutdown in fall 2025, working for a month and a half without pay. Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified that assaults on agents have increased by 500% since the shutdown began. Tens of thousands of U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA, CISA, and support staff for ICE and CBP have also been affected, working without pay or being furloughed.

American Travelers

Travel disruptions reached a peak last week, with major airports advising passengers to arrive three to four hours early. These disruptions, primarily due to TSA staffing shortages, eased after agents began receiving retroactive paychecks. At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, nearly 40% of TSA agents called out on Sunday, but the absence rate fell to just over 20% on Monday. Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis reported a roughly 30% drop in TSA agent call-outs since President Trump’s pay order.

Winners in the DHS Shutdown

ICE’s Image

Despite Democrats refusing to fund ICE, the shutdown is shifting public perception of the agency. Passengers at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport expressed appreciation for ICE agents assisting TSA officers with managing long security lines. President Trump deployed ICE agents to over a dozen airports in March to alleviate TSA staffing shortages. Travelers noted the agents’ helpfulness, providing water and assistance.

CLEAR Secure

Long TSA lines have significantly benefited CLEAR Secure, the ID-verification system offering expedited airport security access. At least 319,000 travelers downloaded the Clear app in March to bypass TSA checkpoints, according to Fast Company. While the service isn’t available at all usual locations during the shutdown, Clear has contributed $200,000 in gas and grocery cards to TSA agents.