Congress faced widespread criticism late Sunday for heading into a two-week Easter and Passover recess without resolving a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that began on February 14. The funding lapse, now in its 45th day, has led to over 460 Transportation Security Administration officers quitting and widespread airport delays during peak spring travel.

The impasse stems from partisan disagreements over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations within DHS. The House passed a full funding bill, including ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations, for the third time on March 26 in a 218-206 vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed a competing Senate measure that excluded ICE funding as a "joke." Senate Democrats have blocked GOP full-funding proposals multiple times, pushing instead for separate appropriations that omit immigration enforcement amid calls for ICE reforms.

President Trump signed an executive order directing pay for TSA employees, averting immediate furloughs but not addressing the broader lapse. Despite the order, TSA call-out rates have surged to 11% nationwide, with some airports exceeding 40%, exacerbating security lines that have stretched over four hours.

Criticism intensified as lawmakers prepared to leave Washington. Border czar Tom Homan slammed Congress for the recess while TSA officers remained unpaid. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole accused Democrats of "actively choosing to deny resources to the very people responsible for protecting the American homeland." A TSA agent told Fox News that Congress had "let down" Americans.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune had warned on March 19 that the chamber would not recess if DHS remained unfunded, stating, "I can’t see us taking a break if the department’s still shut down." Yet both chambers adjourned, with return scheduled for mid-April, potentially pushing the shutdown past the 43-day record set last fall.

The standoff unfolds amid heightened national security concerns, including threats from Iran and an alleged ISIS-inspired plot in New York. DHS officials have warned that partial funding degrades coordination in a tense threat environment. Over 61,000 TSA workers reported despite missing paychecks, with many resorting to sleeping in cars or donating plasma.

Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, countered that Republicans are holding TSA workers "hostage" to fund an "unaccountable paramilitary force." Republicans maintain that ICE and Customs and Border Protection are already partially funded via prior laws, urging Democrats to accept full DHS appropriations.

The shutdown risks further impacts, including preparations for the FIFA World Cup in June, as new hires cannot complete required training. Lawmakers return April 13, when the lapse will mark Day 60.