PHILADELPHIA -On Sunday, the partial government shutdown has stretched to a record 44 days, affecting the Department of Homeland Security.
Briana SmithPHILADELPHIA -On Sunday, the partial government shutdown has stretched to a record 44 days, affecting the Department of Homeland Security. "It's extremely stressful the way that we couldn't pay our bills," said LaShanda Palmer, president of AFGE Local 333, which represents TSA officers at Philadelphia International Airport and Wilmington Airport.
President Donald Trump said TSA agents should begin receiving pay on Monday after he signed an executive order on Friday.Palmer said many officers were forced to take other jobs to stay afloat, and some may not be able to return right away. "Everybody will not be able to come back in because this paycheck may not be everything they need to get back to even ground because of the negative accounts," she said. DHS reported that more than 25 percent of officers called out at PHL on Saturday, and more than 500 officers have quit nationwide. "These TSA officers are struggling. They can't feed their families or pay their rent," said White House border czar Tom Homan. "Your heart goes out to them because they're sitting there right now working very hard and not being paid by members of Congress that are on vacation getting paid. It's ridiculous." Palmer said officers are hoping for a swift resolution. "They come to some type of resolution and quickly because we can't go another 43 days the same way. We can't go another 7 days," she said. "It's unfair. They shouldn't have a spring break." She added that some officers returning to work may face discipline for calling out, including possible suspension or termination. "I feel like there's a big disconnect. The lack of empathy, understanding," she said."It's just been a hassle," said Nahir Robles of San Juan, Puerto Rico. "At this point, they should really start paying their workers." Nick Fouriezos of Atlanta, Georgia called the officers "heroes," saying, "People were showing up and actually manning the checkpoints both in Atlanta and here before they were getting paid, and I was sitting there thinking I don't know if I would show up to work." Federal leaders say ICE agents will remain at airports until operations stabilize. Robles said the situation is "a complicated issue but as long as everything is being done with the right procedures, then it should be okay." A PHL spokesperson says wait times have remained about the same since the shutdown began. TSA advises passengers to arrive 2.5 hours before domestic flights and 3.5 before international.Now lawmakers are on break and won't be back in session until mid-April.
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