Mike Johnson blames Senate for DHS shutdown amid rising airport chaos

WASHINGTON, DC: House Speaker Mike Johnson blamed the Senate for the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as a bitter funding standoff in Washington shows little sign of resolution.

Speaking on Fox & Friends on Tuesday, March 31, Johnson said the House had already passed a temporary funding measure and accused the Senate of failing to act, prolonging disruptions that have begun to ripple across the country.

Dispute over border security funding

Johnson said the core disagreement centers on funding for key border agencies, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to him, a Senate-backed proposal effectively eliminated funding for those agencies, a move he described as unacceptable.

“They sent us a bill that literally put the number zero in the bill for border security and Customs and Immigration Enforcement,” Johnson said. “We cannot be part of that.”

He emphasized that nearly 98,000 personnel across those agencies depend on continued funding to support their livelihoods.

Temporary funding plan falls through

The House, Johnson said, had passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) aimed at funding DHS for eight weeks while broader negotiations continued.

The measure, which he described as “clean” and bipartisan, was expected to pass quickly in the Senate but stalled instead, leaving the department partially shuttered.

“We thought that would be passed by unanimous consent… and it didn’t happen,” he said.

Despite the escalating disruptions, there is no clear timeline for ending the shutdown. Johnson said House lawmakers remain ready to return to Washington at short notice if an agreement is reached.

“We have to get the government operating again,” he said, adding that negotiations with senators were ongoing late into the night.

Still, he suggested Republicans may ultimately have to take the lead in resolving the crisis, accusing Democrats of obstruction.

“It’s a shame, it looks like we will have to do the heavy lift on our own,” Johnson said.

TSA workers unpaid, airports face disruptions

The impasse has left thousands of frontline workers, including Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, working without pay.

As financial strain grows, many have called out of work, leading to severe staffing shortages at major airports.

The result has been hours-long security lines for travelers, with delays affecting even critical personnel, including a National Transportation Safety Board investigator attempting to reach the scene of a deadly runway crash at LaGuardia Airport.

Political blame game intensifies

The shutdown has triggered a familiar round of partisan accusations. Democrats have pointed out that President Donald Trump is a Republican and that the GOP controls both chambers of Congress, arguing the responsibility for resolving the crisis lies with them.

Republicans, meanwhile, have accused Democrats of making unreasonable demands and using procedural tactics, including disputes over the filibuster, to stall progress. 

Complicating matters further, Congress has adjourned for spring break, effectively delaying any immediate resolution.