During a call with reporters on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) criticized Democrats for their continued refusal to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and, by extension, its Transportation Security Administration.
According to the legislator, the decision is negatively affecting thousands of Americans nationwide, including agency employees and travelers.
"The Senate is in session this week, but you wouldn't know it from what we've gotten accomplished, not very much," Tuberville said. "We're running slow up here for some reason. After weeks of our TSA agents and Coast Guard going without pay, we're still nowhere near getting the Democrats to help us fund the DHS and TSA. You've seen the bomb threats and all the backup lines all across the country, all the airports. They're only going to increase if Democrats don't stop putting their woke political agenda ahead of American safety.
He added, "They work for Americans. They don't work for illegal aliens."
According to Fox News, the DHS funding lapse has now stretched to 27 days, with many of the agency's employees continuing to go unpaid. Additionally, more than 300 airport security officers have left TSA since the start of the DHS shutdown, with callouts rising to an average of 6%.
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