US President Donald Trump will convene a meeting of his Cabinet at the White House on Thursday morning (March 26) as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown enters Day 41, putting pressure on federal agencies and air travel operations.
The meeting comes amid growing concerns over airport security delays, caused by staffing shortages at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) during the DHS funding lapse. Travelers have faced hours-long waits at major US airports, with absentee rates among TSA officers reaching 40–50% at some hubs.
Earlier this week, Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to assist TSA at airports, aiming to ease long security lines.
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Political deadlock Both Republicans and Democrats have proposed bills to separate TSA and other non-immigration agencies from the DHS funding measure, but these efforts have been blocked in Congress, prolonging the shutdown. The stalemate is part of broader disputes over immigration enforcement policy and DHS budget allocations.