What Christians Need to Know About the Impact of the Government Shutdown Involving The DHS
One can almost hear the fade in of carnival circus Calliope Music in Washington D.C. in regard to the newest government shutdown. This one involves the DHS. No agreement has been reached, funding for the DHS ran out at midnight on Saturday, and the bickering will be put on hold for the rest of the week as most of the House and the Senate take a week long recess. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has said he would call Congress back into session if negotiators are able to find a suitable compromise, according to The Hill.
Ironically, many of them are attending a defense conference in Europe (Munich, Germany) even while America’s safety and defense hang in the balance.
The Irony of Jeopardizing America’s Safety while Discussing Strengthening Europe’s
“Schumer’s what’s deciding this,” Senator Rick Scott (R-FL.) told Fox News Digital. “I mean, he’s deciding that he’s more interested in people going to Munich than he is in funding DHS.”
“The Senate started out a week ago saying, ‘I don’t think anybody should leave town,’” Rep. Mark Amodei, (R-Nev.), told Fox News Digital. “Now they’re doing the Munich thing. At least [the House] sent a bill over … not a great pride moment for the federal government, is it?”
“I’m sure Munich is a great place. I’ve been there many times. The beer is outstanding,” House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK.) told Fox News Digital. “But we don’t need to go to a defense conference someplace in Europe when we’re not taking care of the defense of the United States of America.”
The Irony that ICE, CBP Not Majorly Impacted, Some American Citizens Will Be
Also Ironic is the fact that the primary cause of the shutdown, ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), won’t be significantly impacted. There was funding set aside for these in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which was signed into law on July 4, 2025, as well as some funding from other resources, according to Politico.
“The reality is nearly 90 percent of the department will continue operating even if Congress fails to complete its work by the end of the week,” Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), ranking member on the House Appropriations subcommittee that crafted the DHS funding bill, said in a hearing on shutdown impacts last week, according to The Hill.
In a nutshell, the agencies that will be impacted include TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, Cybersecurity, and the Secret Service. While these agencies will continue to function, most employees won’t receive a paycheck. In the case of TSA, that will begin as soon as mid March, which means Americans wanting to catch a flight will be subjected to some very long lines due to TSA agents calling off work, according to Politico.
Additional Lawmakers Weigh in on Risks Resulting from Government Shutdown
As for the other agencies being affected by the shutdown, during the appropriations, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Gabarino (R-NY) said, “Right now, our country faces a pivotal time for our homeland security, and I worry another lapse in funding for the department will have even longer-lasting impacts than the last. TSA and the Secret Service are preparing for millions of visitors for the World Cup and America 250 [anniversary] celebrations, FEMA is preparing for hurricane season while helping the nation recover from a brutal winter storm, the U.S. Coast Guard is interdicting a record amount of drugs and combating the smuggling of sanctioned oil, and CISA is defending our networks from relentless adversaries while preparing for midterm elections this fall.”
He went on to note that he felt that it’s “unacceptable” that so many on America’s “frontline” will be losing their paychecks twice within a six month time span.
House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK.) pointed out that, “A shutdown is not a strategy – even if Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats treat it like one. It is a setback for national security and for American families…”
Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Amodei (R-NV.) said, “Under the leadership of Chuck Schumer, progressive Democrats are now demanding that Congress weaken interior immigration enforcement or risk shutting down the entire Department of Homeland Security. If you think that’s acceptable because you oppose ICE or Border Patrol operations, it’s worth remembering that DHS funds far more than immigration enforcement. Threatening to shut it down puts core national security functions at risk. Policy disagreements are not the responsibility of the appropriations process; rather, they should be taken up with the authorizing committees. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to reflect on the lessons of the longest government shutdown in history, which proved it accomplishes nothing.”
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What Christians Need to Know about the Looming Potential Government Shutdown
©Getty Images/Anna Rose Layden / Stringer
Originally published February 16, 2026.
