All posts tagged: Southwest Airlines Co

Senate advances deal to fund agency with TSA

Published by Sam Flores

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks to members of the media outside the Senate Chamber after passing a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill by unanimous consent at the U.S. Capitol Building on April 2, 2026 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik | Getty Images The Senate on Thursday advanced a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security — including the Transportation Security Administration — taking a step toward ending the shutdown that had disrupted air travel for much of the last month. The legislation passed in a pro forma session — a brief meeting of either congressional chamber where legislative business typically does not take place — as lawmakers are out of town on a two-week recess. The House, which met in its own pro forma session later Thursday morning, did not take up the measure, meaning the partial government shutdown will likely extend through the weekend. The House is next due to meet April 6 in a pro forma session, and neither chamber is scheduled to return in full until the …

GOP leaders boost two-track approach to funding DHS

Published by Sam Flores

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), joined by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), speaks to members of the media following the Republican Senate Policy Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on October 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images News | Getty Images Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday backed a two-track plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security, paving the way to fund the Transportation Security Administration in the near-term while punting debate over the agency’s more controversial immigration enforcement functions. The announcement amounts to a reversion back to the bill the Senate passed last week that would have funded all of DHS except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection. Democrats have called for changes to immigration enforcement practices before funding those sub-agencies. Initial DHS funding for most of the department would be followed by a second measure using a Senate procedure known as budget reconciliation for ICE And CBP, the Republican leaders said …

Trump is paying TSA agents — but where is the money coming from?

Published by Sam Flores

Travelers wait in line to go through security in Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport on March 27, 2026 in New York, New York. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images After weeks of long lines at airports and bickering in Congress, Transportation Security Administration agents began to receive pay earlier this week thanks to an executive order by President Donald Trump. Trump’s move to bypass Congress — which under the U.S. Constitution is granted power over federal spending — and unilaterally pay the airport security agents is a momentary reprieve. Negotiations over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut down since February, are largely stalled while Congress is on recess for two weeks. The paychecks raise a series of questions: Where does the money Trump is using come from? How much is available? And for how long can Trump continue to pay TSA agents if Congress doesn’t soon come to a deal? Trump’s executive order directs Homeland Security secretary and the White House Office of Management and Budget director …

Trump signs order to pay TSA employees after Congress disagreement

Published by Sam Flores

A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent looks on passengers queue to go through security at New York’s LaGuardia airport on March 22, 2026. Charly Triballeau | Afp | Getty Images President Donald Trump on Friday signed a promised executive action to pay Transportation Security Administration employees after a bid to end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security abruptly fell apart in Congress. Trump signed the action with an eye toward easing long security lines at many of the nation’s top airports. “America’s air travel system has reached its breaking point,” Trump said in the memo authorizing the payments. He added, “I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security.” Trump said his administration would use “funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations” for the payments. In a statement Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said TSA workers “should begin seeing paychecks as early as Monday.” While Trump’s action could help ease the plight of air travelers, it does little to resolve the DHS shutdown that has jammed …

GOP spikes DHS funding plan, extending shutdown

Published by Sam Flores

With an end to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown in sight, House Republicans on Friday bristled at the deal their Senate colleagues sent them overnight, potentially imperiling the funding bill and threatening to extend the shutdown that’s led to worsening airport delays. The Senate early Friday morning advanced a bill to fund most of DHS, except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection, in a move to end the partial government shutdown that has disrupted air travel across the U.S., as Transportation Security Administration agents go without paychecks and miss work. That bill immediately met resistance in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La, on Friday afternoon confirmed a plan to ditch the Senate proposal and instead try to pass a stopgap funding bill for all of DHS through May 22. The stopgap measures advanced out of the House Rules Committee on Friday, teeing up a vote as soon as later this evening. “This gambit that was done last night is a joke,” Johnson told reporters. “The Senate Democrats have …

Trump says he will sign an executive order to ‘immediately pay’ TSA agents

Published by Sam Flores

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he would circumvent Congress and unilaterally pay Transportation Security Administration agents, as lawmakers continues to negotiate funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Trump’s move, announced via TruthSocial, could at least temporarily ease the tension that has been building for weeks in U.S. airports as TSA agents went without pay and security lines grow long. It could also clear the way for Congress to leave town at the end of this week for a pre-scheduled two-week recess. “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!,” Trump posted. “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.” The move raises questions for the ongoing DHS negotiations, with other subagencies like the Coast Guard and Customs and Border Patrol still without …

Senate, White House nearing deal to end DHS shutdown

Published by Sam Flores

San Diego, CA – March 23: Travelers stand in a long Transportation Security Administration line that wrapped throughout Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport in California, March 23, 2026. K.C. Alfred | The San Diego Union | Getty Images Senate Republicans and the White House appear near to a deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security and end the partial government shutdown as the shutdown’s second month leads to worsening airport delays. Talks are still underway, but “this deal seems to be acceptable,” a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity said Tuesday. President Donald Trump has said he wants to not only fund DHS but include other changes such as prohibitions on transgender care and a voter-ID measure. Democrats, however, say they’re not satisfied with the Republicans’ proposal. At a swearing-in ceremony for Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday, Trump said he would “take a good hard look” at the compromise funding proposal. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said at a press conference Tuesday that “Democrats have …

ICE agents will be deployed to U.S. airports on Monday: Homan

Published by Sam Flores

Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Friday, March 20, 2026. Elijah Nouvelage | Bloomberg | Getty Images Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will deploy to airports on Monday to help ease security lines amid the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, White House border czar Tom Homan said Sunday. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to deploy ICE agents to airports as the shutdown drags into its second month, creating headaches for travelers moving through hours-long Transportation Security Administration security lines. Homan confirmed that ICE will be deployed on Monday during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We will be at the airports tomorrow, helping TSA move those lines along,” Homan said, adding that ICE will assist in areas like guarding exit doors to relieve TSA agents for screening travelers. “We’re simply there to help TSA do their jobs in areas that don’t need their specialized expertise.” Homan said the details of the plan are still under discussion, …

Trump threatens to deploy ICE to airports if DHS shutdown doesn’t end

Published by Sam Flores

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House for Florida, in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 20, 2026. Nathan Howard | Reuters President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to send federal ⁠immigration agents ‌to U.S. ⁠airports unless congressional Democrats immediately ‌agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security. “I will move our ⁠brilliant and ‌patriotic ‌ICE Agents to the Airports ⁠where they will ⁠do ⁠Security like no one has ‌ever seen before,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. The Trump administration has faced heavy criticism for aggressive deportation tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents. Trump claimed ICE agents handling airport security would arrest immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, specifically targeting individuals from Somalia. In a separate post later in the day, Trump said he plans to move ICE agents into airports as soon as Monday, telling them to “GET READY.” “I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, ‘GET READY.’ NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!” he wrote. When asked for comment, the White House …

As Trump eyes Cuba, I remember me how different things used to be

Published by Sam Flores

Cuba suffered a widespread power cut on March 16, 2026, according to the national electricity company, against the backdrop of a severe crisis on the island caused by the US energy blockade. Yamil Lage | Afp | Getty Images The White House has choked off Cuba’s oil supply and threatened a “friendly takeover” of the communist-run island, against a backdrop of military operations in Venezuela and Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump is implying the country is his next target, saying: “Whether I free it, take it, I think I can do anything I want with it. They’re a very weakened nation right now.” The oil shortage is bringing Cuba’s economy to the brink. But I’ve found myself thinking back when, not that long ago, it briefly looked like the two nations would normalize relations after decades of hostility. I first landed in Havana in March 2012 to cover Pope Benedict XVI’s visit. The airport was small. I had to repeatedly explain to immigration officials that we were there as journalists, that we had permission, and …

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All posts tagged: Southwest Airlines Co

As Trump eyes Cuba, I remember me how different things used to be