The United States has reached a historic record for the longest partial or full government shutdown. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been at a standstill for 44 days due to disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over restrictions for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This surpasses the previous records of 43 days in October of last year and 34 days in December 2018. The situation has caused chaos at airports, with an average of 11% of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents absent daily, and at some airports, the rate exceeds 50%. At least 460 TSA agents have resigned, as they are not receiving pay during the shutdown, while airports are facing a 5% year-over-year increase in passengers during the spring break season. In response, President Trump signed an executive order to immediately pay TSA agents to stop the chaos at airports, which is expected to begin this Monday. Homeland Security Advisor Tom Homan reported progress in negotiations with Democrats on implementing restrictions for ICE agents, such as the use of body cameras, but emphasized that Trump only supports full funding for the entire Department of Homeland Security. The latest attempt to reopen the DHS failed, as the Senate passed a bipartisan plan to fund the department with the exception of ICE, but House Republicans blocked the effort by insisting that the agency must be funded in its entirety. "They are taking the department hostage because they don't like what ICE is doing, and ICE is just enforcing the law," Homan stated.
