The Department of Homeland Security enacted emergency measures over the weekend, tweaking some TSA functions as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats remained dug in on their positions. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images; Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
"Shutdowns have real-world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. "The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians."
The agency announced that, for now, TSA PreCheck would stay operational after a back-and-forth over whether to continue the program during the shutdown. The program is used by more than 20 million people to speed up wait times at airports across the country, according to the agency. However, courtesy escorts for members of Congress have been suspended.
"At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public," a spokesperson for the agency told Fox News Digital. "As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case-by-case basis and adjust operations accordingly."
DHS SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS WITHOUT PAY, WHAT HAPPENS TO AIRPORTS AND DISASTER RESPONSE
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said Senate Democrats wouldn't take the shutdown seriously until flight delays and cancellations started to stack up. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Schumer and his caucus want more stringent reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following deadly shootings in Minnesota amid immigration operations. The White House has so far been willing to entertain some of the changes they’ve proposed, but Republicans have drawn red lines on imposing judicial warrant requirements and unmasking agents, among other provisions.
That means a bulk of the agency is going without funding as both sides continue to butt heads, given that ICE and some immigration enforcement functions are flush with funding from the "big, beautiful bill."
The tweaks to TSA are not the only steps DHS has taken to implement emergency measures during the shutdown.
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Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has halted Global Entry at airports and diverted agents to instead help process travelers.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also stopped all public assistance for ongoing disasters, paused non-emergency work, halted non-disaster-related activities and restricted personnel travel to activities "strictly necessary to respond to active disasters and life-safety emergencies," according to the agency.
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-demanding-ice-reforms-lose-airport-escorts-shutdown-they-triggered