Border czar Tom Homan on Sunday said he “hopes” President Donald Trump will force lawmakers back to Washington in order to end the partial government shutdown.
In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” host Margaret Brennan asked Homan if President Trump will compel lawmakers, who are on a two-week recess, to come back and fund the Department of Homeland Security.
"Well look, I hope so," Homan replied. “We're in an increased threat posture because of what's going on around the world. We've got to keep this country safe,”
“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 lasted six weeks as Democrats demand immigration agents be unmasked and have judicial warrants to enter homes, among other things.
But House Republicans on Friday rejected a bipartisan Senate bill that would have funded most of the department through September, instead passing a short-term funding bill of its own. When pressed on whether he supported the Senate bill, Homan replied, “I support the president of the United States and getting DHS fully funded and operated.”
Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said he thought the Senate would be eager to return to pass the House's stopgap funding bill. "We would come back promptly to pass that bill," Cotton said.
The shutdown has resulted in hours-long delays at some airports as TSA agents go unpaid, though President Donald Trump said last week they would be paid from some unspecified funds.
In an effort to assist TSA agents, immigration agents have been deployed to airports around the country.
Homan on Sunday said ICE agents will continue to be present at airports until they are “in a posture where they can do normal operations.”
“If less TSA agents come back, that means we'll keep more ICE agents there,” Homan said.
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