With the Democrats' continued refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) until their woke Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demands are met, President Donald Trump announced Thursday evening in a Truth Social post that he was signing an executive order directing DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin to pay TSA workers.
Trump emphasized in his post that it was the Democrats' fault, led by Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), that Transportation Security Administration workers hadn't been paid, and that was because Democrats prioritize criminal illegal immigrants over American citizens:
The Radical Left Democrats, and their “Leader,” Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, have made it very clear where they stand, and that is, ON THE SIDE OF CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS, AND NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. They are refusing to fund Immigration Enforcement unless the Republicans agree to their Open Border Policies, which will never, ever happen again. They almost destroyed our Country, allowing 25 Million People to enter from Prisons, Mental Institutions, and Insane Asylums, those that are Drug Dealers, and thousands of Murderers, many of whom killed more than one person.
Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country, as I always will do! Therefore, I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports. It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it! I want to thank our hardworking TSA Agents and also, ICE, for the incredible help they have given us at the Airports. I will not allow the Radical Left Democrats to hold our Country hostage any longer. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP
🚨🚨🚨BREAKING — TRUMP SAYS HES INSTRUCTING DHS TO PAY TSA pic.twitter.com/yvjFlUNe46
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) March 26, 2026
SEE ALSO: Thank a Democrat: Here Are Videos of Insanely Long Lines at Airports Across the Country
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) indicated earlier in the day that this was something Trump could do that was "perfectly legal":
Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Thursday suggested that a Trump intervention might be possible.
“I’m not going to go into the details, other than to say that there is funding that can be used perfectly legally to pay TSA, to pay the rest of the coast guard, for example,” Collins told reporters at the Capitol.
The move comes as the negotiations between Democrats and Republicans on how to end the partial government shutdown remain at a standstill, and as Trump is having ICE step in to help at airports across the country to ease some of the congestion brought on by TSA workers calling in sick. In some cases, ICE has also aided in medical emergencies for passengers waiting in long lines, as RedState previously reported.
Update: On X, DHS Sec. Mullin thanked Trump:
I want to thank @POTUS for his leadership in finding a way to pay our TSA officers to end this chaos at our airports. These hours long lines and thousands of Americans missing their flights was caused solely by the Democrats reckless @DHSgov shutdown.
Many of DHS’ frontline workers are still not being paid including @FEMA, @USCG, and @CISAgov.
The Democrats must stop playing political games with our national security, quit punishing our employees, and re-open DHS.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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