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The partial government shutdown has Department of Homeland Security employees missing their paychecks even as the U.S. has engaged Iran with airstrikes that have brought the nation to the brink of war.
On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel commenced targeting Iranian positions, including the palace of dictator Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who was later declared dead by Jerusalem officials. The strikes have prompted concerns of retaliation, possibly inside U.S. borders.
“I am in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
As Friday rolled into Saturday, Transportation Safety Administration officers began effectively working pro bono, and the agency called them “true models of selflessness and sacrifice.”
“Right now, the men and women of TSA are showing up to work without a paycheck due to the reckless DHS shutdown despite the fact that Democrat members of Congress are still getting paid,” the agency said in a statement, calling out Democrats’ “political theater making life harder for these officers and their families.”
Lawmakers took notice of the disparity on Saturday as eyes turned to the security of America’s homeland amid Iran’s pledge to strike back.
“Given developments in the Middle East and the ongoing threat posed by Iran and its terrorist proxies, Democrats in the House and Senate must cease the politics and must immediately fund the Department of Homeland Security,” said Rep. Daniel Meuser, R-Pa.
The Blue Mountain congressman, whose district is home to the agency’s latest immigration center purchase in Shartlesville, added that blocking DHS funding is “irresponsible and dangerous” amid the rising global tension.
“Democrats in Congress must join Republicans, act responsibly and stop blocking efforts to fund DHS,” Meuser said.
Meuser added that protecting Americans is a fundamental federal responsibility and that the U.S. cannot afford national security-related delays.
DHS SHUTDOWN TRIGGERS TSA ‘EMERGENCY MEASURES’ AS LAWMAKER WARNS AIRPORTS COULD FEEL ECONOMIC PAIN
His Keystone compatriot, Sen. David McCormick, echoed that sentiment Saturday.
“Now would be a good time for Democrats to drop their opposition to DHS funding and pass the bill to support our homeland security,” McCormick said.
“Continuing to play political games with our national security given the unfolding situation in the Middle East is dangerous.”
While many Democrats voiced concern or opposition to the Trump administration’s strikes, McCormick’s counterpart, Sen. John Fetterman, ridiculed critics on X, retweeting an alert that Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei had been killed and writing, “Let’s see who grieves for that garbage.”
The top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, however, criticized the operation.
Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi told NOTUS News Saturday that Trump’s attack lacks “a clear strategy,” adding the U.S. is “vulnerable to ensuing terrorism attacks today because of Trump’s reckless, inflammatory actions.”
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Iranian worshipers hold up their hands as signs of unity with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during an anti-Israeli rally to condemn Israel’s attacks on Iran in downtown Tehran, Iran, June 20, 2025. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“I am deeply concerned about the administration’s attention to possible threats and its ability to protect Americans,” he added.
Just prior to the strikes, Senate and House Democratic leaders released a joint statement addressing the DHS shutdown’s current conditions.
“We have received the White House’s counteroffer and are reviewing it closely. Democrats remain committed to keep fighting for real reforms to rein in ICE and stop the violence,” said New York Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.
Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for additional comment.
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