Amid DHS shutdown, White House breaks silence: ‘To every American stuck in endless TSA lines — thank a Democrat’

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Americans experiencing long lines should call their Democratic representatives and tell them to fund the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In a post on X, White House said, “President Trump wants the Department of Homeland Security FULLY funded and reopened. To every American missing a paycheck or stuck in endless TSA lines — thank a Democrat.”

“President Trump wants the Department of Homeland Security to be fully funded and fully reopened. And, so to any American out there who is struggling without a paycheck, we know there is more than one hundred thousand of you across the country, to any American out there, showing up to the airport, and facing incredibly long waiting times in lines, call your Democrat member of Congress and tell them to fund the Department of Homeland Security. That's what President Trump wants to do, and it's completely ridiculous that the American people are suffering as a result of these games being played by Democrats on Capitol Hill,” said Leavitt.

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Long security lines at several US Airports this week have underscored the challenges that could arise if a government shutdown occurs during the busy spring break travel period, according to AP.

Houston’s secondary airport faced the most severe disruptions, with passengers waiting more than three hours in security lines for much of Sunday and Monday. Travellers at other airports, including those in New Orleans and Atlanta, also reported waits exceeding an hour.

The surge in travel as schools begin their spring break would strain airport systems even under normal staffing levels. With staffing shortages that often accompany a government shutdown, pressure is building at some airports. However, most airports have so far avoided extremely long security delays.

Earlier on Monday, Michael H. Simon restricted federal officers from using tear gas during protests outside the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, Oregon, following a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon on behalf of protesters and freelance journalists.

The judge issued a preliminary injunction after a three-day hearing where plaintiffs, including a protester known for wearing a chicken costume, an elderly married couple, and two freelance journalists, testified that chemical agents or projectile munitions had been used against them, AP reported.

The lawsuit, which names the United States Department of Homeland Security among the defendants, argues that the use of such munitions by federal officers is retaliation against protesters and discourages them from exercising their First Amendment rights, AP reported.

“Plaintiffs provided numerous videos, which were received in evidence and unambiguously show DHS officers spraying OC Spray directly into the faces of peaceful and nonviolent protesters engaged in, at most, passive resistance and discharging tear gas and firing pepper-ball munitions into crowds of peaceful and nonviolent protestors,” Simon wrote, using the term OC Spray to refer to pepper spray.

(With inputs from agencies)