Tom Homan urged President Trump to call lawmakers back from recess to end the six-week partial government shutdown and restore full funding to the Department of Homeland Security. Homan warned the country is in an "increased threat posture" and said DHS should not be held "hostage" while immigration policy debates continue. House Republicans recently rejected a bipartisan Senate funding plan and passed a short-term bill; Sen. Tom Cotton said the Senate would return promptly to consider the House measure. The shutdown has caused long airport delays as unpaid TSA staff miss work, and ICE agents have been deployed to assist until normal operations resume.
Tom Homan Urges Trump To Call Lawmakers Back To End Six-Week DHS Shutdown
White House border czar Tom Homan listens during the swearing in for Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Tom Homan, the administration's senior border official often described as a "border czar," said on Sunday he hopes President Donald Trump will compel members of Congress to return from recess to resolve the partial government shutdown and fully fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Speaking on CBS' Face the Nation, Homan told host Margaret Brennan that the country is in an "increased threat posture" because of global developments and that DHS must be funded to maintain public safety.
"Well look, I hope so. We're in an increased threat posture because of what's going on around the world. We've got to keep this country safe," Homan said. "We just need to get the Department funded. They want to talk about immigration policies, we can talk about that, but why do you got to hold the rest of the DHS hostage to be able to do that? Let's sit down and talk."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The shutdown has stretched into its sixth week amid partisan disagreement over immigration enforcement and oversight. Democrats have pushed for changes to immigration operations — including tighter limits on home raids and requirements for judicial warrants in certain cases — while Republicans have resisted linking those policy changes to funding for the entire department.
Last Friday, House Republicans rejected a bipartisan Senate proposal that would have funded most of DHS through September and instead passed a short-term stopgap funding bill of their own. When asked whether he supported the Senate plan, Homan said, "I support the president of the United States and getting DHS fully funded and operated."
On Fox News Sunday, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said he expected the Senate would be willing to return quickly to pass the House's temporary funding measure. "We would come back promptly to pass that bill," Cotton said.
The shutdown has affected transportation operations: unpaid Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff have missed work, producing lengthy delays at some U.S. airports. President Trump said last week that TSA officers would be paid from unspecified funds.
To help keep airports functioning, immigration enforcement officers have been temporarily deployed to some terminals. Homan said ICE personnel will remain at airports "until they are in a posture where they can do normal operations." He added, "If less TSA agents come back, that means we'll keep more ICE agents there."
Help us improve.
