Rep. Addison McDowell to Newsmax: Democrats Own DHS Shutdown Chaos

Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., on Tuesday blamed Democrats for the monthlong Department of Homeland Security shutdown, saying the impasse is disrupting spring break travel and straining agencies charged with protecting the country.

The partial shutdown began Feb. 14 after Democrats and the White House failed to reach a deal on DHS funding, and by Tuesday it had stretched into its 32nd day, with Homeland Security the only annual appropriations bill still unresolved.

McDowell said on "Wake Up America" that Democrats could end the standoff but have chosen not to do so.

"Democrats can end the madness whenever they want to, but they don't want to, and they don't have a plan," McDowell said. "They have no ideas.

"They have no solutions for any problems. All they know is that they hate the president and they hate Republicans, and that's not a solution that does anything for Americans that care about affordability, that care about safety."

McDowell said Republicans want DHS fully funded and accused Democrats of putting immigration politics ahead of public safety.

"If we want to fund the DHS, we need to do it completely," he said. "But, you know, if the Democrats care more about criminal, illegal aliens than they do the safety of our homeland, I'd be happy to go visit the ballot box in November and vote based on that message."

The shutdown has become increasingly visible to travelers as airport security lines lengthen at major hubs during the spring travel rush, with The Associated Press reporting waits of more than three hours at Houston's secondary airport and delays of more than an hour in cities including New Orleans and Atlanta.

Industry pressure has also intensified, with chief executives of American, Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue, along with leaders of UPS, FedEx and Atlas Air, urging Congress to restore DHS funding and guarantee pay for aviation workers.

McDowell said families in his district are feeling the consequences.

"They want the madness to be over. They want the shutdown to be over," he said.

"This is spring break for my kids and for a lot of the families of the 6th District in North Carolina, and they've spent their hard-earned money to plan trips, to go on vacation with their family or to go somewhere, and now they can't because their travel plans are being interrupted by the Democrats' shutdown."

He added that families "can enjoy their time with their loved ones and not be stuck in a TSA line that is directly to blame on the Democrats."

The Associated Press reported that Democrats have said they are willing to fund much of DHS but want changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection operations, including limits on some enforcement actions and added oversight, while Republicans have rejected those demands.

McDowell said the shutdown is affecting front-line homeland security functions, especially beyond immigration enforcement.

"This is really hurting the people that are protecting our homeland, and it's because of the Democrats," he said.

He also said ICE had already received multiyear funding through Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," a point echoed by outside analyses of the 2025 law's major funding boost for immigration enforcement.

About 90% of DHS's more than 260,000 employees have continued working without pay during the lapse, and many missed their first full paychecks last week.

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