What the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security in the US means for air travel, ICE and disaster relief

.

• DHS faces partial shutdown after Congress misses funding deadline
• Most DHS operations continue; 90% of staff deemed essential
• TSA may face delays if shutdown continues; other agencies unaffected

Did our AI summary help?

The US Department of Homeland Security is now operating under a partial government shutdown after US Congress missed its funding deadline. Lawmakers funded the rest of the federal government through September 30, but DHS was left out of the final package as negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms stalled.

Even so, most Americans are unlikely to feel an immediate impact, according to CNN.

Why DHS funding collapsed

The standoff stems from January’s fatal shootings of two US citizens in Minneapolis during immigration enforcement operations. Senate Democrats demanded changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies before agreeing to long-term funding. Among the proposed reforms were limits on roving patrols, tighter warrant standards, mandatory body cameras and restrictions on agents wearing masks.

Republicans resisted most of those conditions and pushed for their own immigration priorities, including measures targeting sanctuary cities. With neither side backing down, DHS funding expired.

President Donald Trump, who oversaw a record 35-day shutdown during his first term and a 43-day impasse last year, is once again presiding over a funding lapse.

Will flights be delayed

Air traffic controllers are not affected. They work under the Federal Aviation Administration, which falls under the Department of Transportation and has already been funded.

However, Transportation Security Administration officers are part of DHS. If the shutdown drags on, airport security lines could lengthen. TSA employees are required to work but may not receive pay until funding resumes. During previous shutdowns, extended lapses led to higher absenteeism and longer wait times at security checkpoints.

For now, operations continue largely as normal.

What happens to ICE and border enforcement

More than 90 percent of DHS’s 272,000 employees are classified as essential and remain on duty. That includes over 93 percent of workers at ICE and Customs and Border Protection.

According to DHS contingency plans, about 44,500 staffers continue to receive pay through alternative appropriations. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has previously said that roughly 70,000 law enforcement personnel across ICE, CBP and related divisions would continue receiving paycheques.

The agency also has access to funding from last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which directed $75 billion to ICE and $64 billion to CBP. That financial cushion reduces the likelihood of operational slowdowns in immigration enforcement.

In practical terms, deportations, border inspections and drug interdiction operations continue.

What about FEMA and other agencies

DHS is a sprawling agency that includes FEMA, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service and cybersecurity units. Most of their work is considered essential because it involves national security or protection of life and property.

FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund appears stable for now. The Bipartisan Policy Center estimates it began the year with nearly $31 billion, and monthly disaster spending typically ranges between $500 million and $1 billion absent a major catastrophe.

Will other agencies shut down

No. The Internal Revenue Service, national parks and the rest of the federal government remain open because they have already been funded through the end of the fiscal year.

The longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the strain on morale and staffing. But in the short term, DHS continues to function, even if many employees are working without immediate pay.