Airport Lines Grow as Senate Fails Again to Advance DHS Funding
United States – March 22, 2026 – The Senate again failed to move a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, and travelers are feeling it in longer airport screening lin…
The airport already smells like jet fuel and stress. Now add one more ingredient: Washington turning a basic funding bill into a game of chicken, while travelers inch forward like brisket on a slow smoker.
Senate fails again as worries grow about TSA lines
On Friday, March 20, 2026, the Senate failed again to advance a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, even as concerns build about long airport screening lines, according to the Associated Press. Democrats declined to provide the support needed to move the measure forward, and the timing lands right on the backs of people trying to fly.
AP reported Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he would push an alternative on Saturday that would fund only the Transportation Security Administration. In plain terms: the folks running the checkpoint are being pulled into the same political tug-of-war as the larger Homeland Security fight.
TSA is “essential,” but the pay is not there
AP said the vast majority of TSA employees are considered essential and are continuing to work without pay during a funding lapse. It also reported that call-out rates have started climbing at some airports, which slows screening down.
That is not mystery math. When workers keep showing up but paychecks go missing, the system gets shakier, and the line gets longer. The result is more waiting, more missed flights, and more terminal frustration.
Why Democrats are holding up the broader bill
AP reported Senate Democrats are refusing to move the full Homeland Security funding measure because they want immigration enforcement changes. Those demands include:
- Requiring ICE agents to get a judge’s warrant before forcefully entering homes
- Requiring identifying information on uniforms
- Banning the use of masks
AP said these demands come in the wake of the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis involving federal agents.
Behind-the-scenes talks, with no clear end yet
AP also reported White House border czar Tom Homan met for a second consecutive day with a bipartisan group of senators as negotiations intensified. Sen. Susan Collins said the White House added to its offer to try to resolve the standoff, without giving specifics. Democrats walked out without comment.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the situation a mess for everyone and pointed to the reality of people stuck in airport lines.
What the administration has offered, and what Republicans point to
AP reported the Trump administration has agreed to some changes, including expanded use of body-worn cameras with an exception for undercover operations, and limits on certain civil enforcement activities at sensitive locations like hospitals, schools, and places of worship.
AP also noted Republicans have pointed to President Trump firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and putting Homan in charge of operations in Minneapolis as evidence the administration intends to make changes.
The calendar pressure
AP reported Congress is nearing a scheduled two-week Easter recess, and Thune suggested the Senate may not break if the shutdown persists.
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