President Donald Trump at a cabinet meeting Thursday urged Congress to find a quick resolution to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown that’s leading to increasing headaches for air travelers.
“They need to end the shutdown immediately, or we’ll have to take some very drastic measures,” Trump said from the White House.
He didn’t describe what measures he would take or detail his role in negotiations to resume funding DHS.
The DHS shutdown has dragged on for more than a month and has disrupted air travel. Transportation Security Administration agents are going without pay and are missing work in large numbers, leading to long lines at airports and increased pressure on lawmakers to find a deal.
A group of Senate Republicans met with Trump at the White House of Monday and came out with what they heralded as a compromise proposal: funding for 94% of DHS, except for the enforcement and removal arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
