DHS funding fight snarls travel and raises risks for immigration services as TSA workers get back pay order
Key Takeaways
- It has been reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has left travelers frustrated and stranded by long lines and delays at airports.
- An administration order and agency email reportedly move to deliver most back pay to TSA workers, but broader DHS funding gaps remain unresolved.
- DHS oversees immigration agencies — including USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services), CBP (Customs and Border Protection) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) — so a prolonged shutdown could slow adjudications, border processing and asylum intake.
- Immigrants and visa applicants should expect possible delays, check case portals and points of contact, and plan for disruptions at ports of entry and hearings.
What happened
It has been reported that travelers across the country are facing long lines and delays as the DHS shutdown drags on, with airport passengers expressing sympathy for TSA workers who have been caught in the shutdown crossfire. According to an email shared by an agency officer and coverage by NBC News, an order from the president directs that TSA workers are expected to receive most of their back pay starting immediately. Travelers told reporters they hold Congress responsible for the impasse and its effect on airport security screening.
How the shutdown affects immigration operations
DHS houses multiple immigration agencies. USCIS processes visas, green cards and naturalization applications; CBP manages inspections at ports of entry and the processing of asylum seekers and parole; ICE handles detention and removals. During a lapse in appropriations, agencies typically distinguish “excepted” employees required to work (roughly, those performing life‑safety or national‑security functions) from those who may be furloughed. That distinction can mean that frontline inspection and enforcement continue, but adjudication teams and support staff can face furloughs, causing slower case processing and longer waits for interviews, background checks and final decisions. It has been reported that the shutdown is already disrupting travelers — a proxy for how border inspections and airport immigration processing could be strained.
What this means for people navigating immigration now
For applicants and migrants, the immediate risks are delayed appointments, transfers and longer wait times at entry points. If you have a scheduled interview, biometrics appointment, asylum intake, or a court date tied to DHS agencies, check your case status online, confirm appointments with the local office, and keep proof of communications. USCIS has an online case status tool; CBP and local ports publish advisory notices. If travel is imminent, allow extra time at the airport, carry immigration documents in hand, and consult an immigration attorney if a missed appointment may jeopardize your case. Historically, Congress eventually approves back pay for furloughed workers, but that does not negate the short‑term disruptions and stress on people already navigating complex immigration processes.
Source: Original Article