The White House has joined MAGA outrage to blame Democrats for lengthy airport delays on Sunday, which left passengers queuing for over three hours.
Passengers at airports in Houston faced 3.5 hours of delays leading into spring break travel, according to KHOU 11 News, while fliers in New Orleans were told to arrive at least three hours early for their flights.
TSA workers are required to attend work during a shutdown as they are deemed essential employees, but will not be paid until a funding deal is reached. DHS funding finished on Feb. 13.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno claimed some TSA workers were calling in sick, leading to understaffing.
“We’ve got really, really long lines at the airport, and from talking to the airport officials, it appears that this has to do with the funding bill in Congress,” she posted on social media. “TSA agents didn’t receive a paycheck, so you have a lot of the workforce that has called in sick, which is causing these huge, huge lines.”
The White House and other MAGA figureheads were quick to point the blame at Democrats.
The White House’s Rapid Response 47 X account shared a photo of a passenger queuing in the airport at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to get to the TSA screening. “Thank a Democrat. It’s their shutdown,” it read.
Republicans John Cornyn, Chip Roy and Don Bacon all borrowed the “thank a Democrat” messaging.
Texas Rep. Ted Cruz posted on X, “The Dem shutdown of DHS NEEDS TO END.” Louisiana Rep. Jeff Landry said Democrats “have no shame” and are “fine with Americans suffering if it means winning political points.”
The Department of Homeland Security also raged at the long queues in post on X, claiming, “This chaos is a direct result of Democrats and their refusal to fund DHS. Their political stunt is forcing patriotic TSA officers to work without pay — leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages.
“Enough is enough: stop holding national security and everyday Americans hostage. Democrats must fund DHS NOW.”
When quizzed by the Daily Beast, Lauren Bis, a spokeswoman for the DHS, echoed that sentiment.
“These political stunts force patriotic TSA officers, who protect our skies from serious threats, to work without pay,” Bis said in a statement to the Daily Beast.
“These frontline heroes received only partial paychecks earlier this month and now face their first full missed paycheck, leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages.”
Californian Congressman Ken Calvert posted on X, “As we get closer to the busy Spring Break travel season, airport delays for you and your family will only grow worse because Democrats refuse to join Republicans in funding our TSA agents.”
Conservative journalist Nick Sorter shared a video of passengers waiting in an “HOURS LONG” security line in Houston “due to Democrats having TSA shut down for several weeks now.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted about a security incident at a Kansas airport that was averted on Sunday, but has yet to post about the travel chaos.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Department of Transport for comment.
The partial shutdown began three weeks ago after Democrats refused to fund DHS until further restrictions on ICE and its agents were imposed.
They have sought reform in the department after federal agents shot and killed Minneapolis residents Alex Pretti and Renee Good in January during ICE protests in the city.
Democrats want ICE agents to better identify themselves, be banned from wearing face masks, and have rules tightened for obtaining warrants.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said it was a “problem of policy, not personnel.”
“The rot is deep,” Schumer said on March 5. “No one person can straighten this up until the president changes the whole agency, stops the violence and reigns in ICE.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Press Office X account reposted TSA stating, “The Democrat shutdown of DHS must end!”
Newsom’s page responded, “The official TSA account is spending more time ‘owning the Dems’ than keeping you safe. Let that sink in.”
Washington Sen. Patty Murray said on Sunday that they are still holding out for their changes to be implemented at the DHS.
“Democrats want to get TSA agents paid, but we won’t help Republicans cut a blank check to help Stephen Miller terrorize Americans,” Murray posted on social media.
“And I won’t let Trump blackmail Democrats into funding rogue ICE agents just because he started a war with Iran.”
