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President Trump just did what congressional Democrats refused to do: make sure TSA agents get paid. On Friday, he signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay transportation security officers who’ve been working without paychecks for weeks amid a partial government shutdown.
The situation had become untenable. More than 60,000 TSA employees — including roughly 50,000 officers who screen passengers at domestic airports — were caught in the crossfire of political gamesmanship. Americans were already feeling the pain through longer security lines and reduced screening capacity at major airports.
“As the Democrat-caused shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security continues well into its sixth week, America’s air travel system has reached its breaking point,” the presidential memorandum states. And let’s be clear about what this shutdown is actually about: Democrats are holding DHS funding hostage to demand that the administration stop enforcing federal immigration law.
That’s the reality the legacy media won’t tell you. While Democrats posture about caring for federal workers, they’re the ones keeping these TSA agents from their paychecks. They’d rather see airport security deteriorate than allow Trump to secure the border. It’s the same pattern we’ve seen for years — talk compassion, practice obstruction.
The Senate finally voted overnight to reopen most of DHS, but as of Friday afternoon, the House seemed poised to reject the deal. So Trump acted. He used his executive authority to bypass the legislative logjam and get these workers paid. It’s the kind of decisive action that drives his critics crazy and reminds his supporters why they sent him to Washington.
Is this an ideal solution? No. Executive action to address what should be a legislative priority isn’t how the system was designed to work. But when one party prioritizes illegal aliens over American citizens and the security of our air travel system, what choice does the President have? Sometimes leadership means doing what needs to be done while the politicians keep arguing.
The memorandum pulls no punches about who’s responsible: “congressional Democrats’ reckless decision to prioritize criminal illegal aliens over American citizens.” That’s not campaign rhetoric — that’s a factual description of the trade-off being made. Every day this shutdown continues is a choice Democrats are making.
Should Trump keep using executive action when Congress refuses to act, or is this a dangerous precedent? Share your thoughts below.
Providence watches over the bold.
via Daily Wire
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