Missed paychecks and airport delays: Pressure mounts on Congress to end the funding shutdown

[Dulcinea]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pressure is mounting on Congress to end the funding shutdown that’s resulted in travel disruptions, missed paychecks and even warnings of airport closures, but lawmakers have yet to resolve the underlying issue of reining in President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations.

Senators are expected to vote Thursday on a Republican proposal that would fund the Transportation Security Administration and much of the Department of Homeland Security, except the enforcement and removal operations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But it’s expected to fail.

Democrats argue the GOP plan does not go far enough at putting guardrails on ICE, Customs and Border Protection and other federal officers who are engaged in the Trump administration’s immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.

https://apnews.com/article/airport-delays-wait-times-shutdown-congress-tsa-b419e989a22dbc028d01cbd892fadb40

[gab13by13]

1. Nope, do not like the headline

Sounds like a right wing talking point.

Pressure mounts on Congressional Magats to end the shutdown sounds more realistic to me. As a matter of fact I think that Democrats could be asking for a tougher bill, no money until the Good/Pretti killings are investigated properly, evidence gathered by the Feds should be shared with the state.

Stay strong Senator Schumer, do not agree to a weak bill that allows the Gestapo to murder people.

[usonian]

2. We're not yelling at Republicans enough over security lines and ICE in airports.

https://indivisible.actionkit.com/mailings/view/124914



DU'er,

We’re forty days into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, and Republicans are beginning to buckle under the pressure.

Here’s where we’re at:

• Back in January, Republicans tried to jam through a DHS funding bill that gave ICE and Border Patrol more money to terrorize our communities.

• Democrats said that was a no go and tried to negotiate a bill that would place significant restrictions on ICE and Border Patrol.

• Republicans balked and decided they’d rather shut down DHS than hold ICE and Border Patrol accountable for killing civilians and terrorizing our communities.

• Last week, Republicans started relenting and supporting Democratic proposals to fund parts of DHS (TSA, FEMA, etc) separately from ICE and Border Patrol.

• A deal was apparently reached over the weekend to fund TSA, but Trump killed it. Instead he put ICE in airports, adding to the danger and mayhem.

• Earlier this week, Trump and Republicans negotiated a new, terrible proposal that’d give ICE and Border Patrol more money, with few or no reforms. Everyone is slamming the deal.

So now, there’s mayhem at airports, TSA workers are about to miss another paycheck, and frustrated travelers are being confronted with ICE agents in security lines. And oh yeah -- spring break is coming.

Democrats have held the political and moral high ground in this fight all along. But now, the public is really paying attention -- giving us an opportunity to turn up the heat on the GOP.

It’s vital to this overall DHS fight that Republicans understand the public blames them for these travel nightmares. Call your Republican representative now, and tell them to cut the crap and back Democratic legislation to fund TSA.
https://indivisible.org/actions/tell-your-republican-rep-stop-holding-tsa-funding-hostage/

If you don't like the terms at the link, here's a script to adapt:

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent from [Your City, State].

I’m calling to urge Representative [NAME] to get ICE out of airports and pass the Democratic proposal to pay TSA agents. Stop holding TSA hostage while Congress negotiates reforms to ICE and Border Patrol. Will Representative [NAME] commit to signing the discharge petition to separate and pass funding for TSA?

Airport mayhem may increase the pressure on Republicans to negotiate with Democrats over ICE/Border Patrol, but unfortunately, wishy-washy Democrats are also susceptible to the same pressure. And there is a real risk, if this isn’t resolved, that some Democrats will cave and back a terrible DHS deal that does nothing to reform ICE and Border Patrol.

Taking airport mayhem off the table alleviates that risk. And while passing TSA funding might not bring us immediately closer to a bill that reins in ICE and Border Patrol, it buys more time to continue that fight -- and while we’re fighting, those thuggish agencies have to continue spending down their reserves. And paying TSA workers and getting ICE the hell out of airports? Those are good things, too.

Ultimately, turning up the heat on Republicans in this fight is the only way we win.

So call your representative today and tell them to stop holding TSA funding hostage. If you’ve got a recent security line nightmare story, work that in, and let them know you hold them responsible.
https://indivisible.org/actions/tell-your-republican-rep-stop-holding-tsa-funding-hostage/

Script to adapt.

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent from [Your City, State].

I’m calling to urge Representative [NAME] to get ICE out of airports and pass the Democratic proposal to pay TSA agents. Stop holding TSA hostage while Congress negotiates reforms to ICE and Border Patrol. Will Representative [NAME] commit to signing the discharge petition to separate and pass funding for TSA?

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team