5 things to know : NPR

The Department of Homeland Security shut down after politicians missed a midnight Friday deadline to fund the agency and its workforce of more than 260,000 people.

The department saw its core funding expire after lawmakers left town for a weeklong recession, but without an agreement to rein in the conduct of federal immigration officials. Democrats say that after two American citizens were shot and killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis, they need reforms cemented into law before they agree to fund the department.

The closure is now the third in a matter of months, but unlike the others, this one is more limited. It only affects DHS, not other federal agencies. Still, the department has a broad scope and is responsible not only for immigration law enforcement but also for disaster response and airport security.

As lawmakers and the White House look to break the impasse, here are five things to know about the shutdown.

1. It is difficult to know how long the closure will last

Democrats have drawn up a list of 10 demands, but consensus has been difficult to reach. Some petitions, such as requiring immigration agents to wear body cameras, appear to have bipartisan support. But Republican lawmakers have rejected other demands, such as banning officers from wearing masks to conceal their identities. Republicans say doing so would make it easier for people to fool federal agents.

Republicans in the Senate tried to pass a short-term funding extension on Thursday to give time for negotiations to play out, but Democrats blocked that measure before lawmakers in both chambers left the Capitol for recess. The vote came after a counteroffer from the White House that Democrats rejected as “insufficient and incomplete.”

“Democrats will not support a blank check for chaos,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “This vote today asked a simple question: Will you rein in ICE abuses or vote to spread chaos? Republicans chose chaos. Democrats, we refuse.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said scientists have been told to be ready to return from recess if a deal is reached, although he indicated that would be unlikely.

“I think we’re not close at the moment,” Thune told reporters.

2. Immigration enforcement is likely to continue unabated

During two congressional hearings this week, leaders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection told lawmakers that their agencies would likely not see a significant impact on their law enforcement operations, since both agencies received more than $70 billion from Congress last summer as part of the GOP’s massive tax and spending bill.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the closure could impact DHS’s work on transnational crime, but he noted no impact on immigration operations. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott did not detail how the closure would affect personnel, saying only: “I agree that the United States becomes less safe.”

Another agency that likely won’t see many disruptions is U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow reminded members of the House of Representatives that his agency is funded primarily by the fees people pay when they file various forms and applications, so his employees would continue to be paid.

3. Air travelers could experience delays…eventually

Most of the Transportation Security Administration’s roughly 64,000 employees are considered “essential” workers and must remain on the job.

Still, travelers across the United States could feel the impact of the shutdown, especially if it lasts more than a few weeks. In previous shutdowns, more airport security workers stayed home from work when their paychecks began missing, citing “financial constraints.”

And TSA leaders say many are still feeling the effects of the long funding gap in October and November.

“We saw that many people had to take second jobs, which made work hours extremely long,” Ha Nguyen McNeill, acting TSA administrator, said at a House hearing Wednesday. “Some are barely recovering from the financial impact of the 43-day closure. Many are still recovering from the impact. We cannot put them through another similar experience.”

According to McNeill, the number of unscheduled absences among TSA workers doubled or even tripled at some airports during the last shutdown. The threat of repeated closures also makes it more difficult to attract and retain workers, he said.

Some may be more motivated to show up for work this time because of the $10,000 bonuses DHS leaders gave evaluators for “exemplary service” after the previous ruling, although it’s unclear exactly how many workers received those bonuses or how they were selected.

Fortunately for travelers, February is a relatively quiet month for the American aviation industry. But traffic tends to pick up in March, when the spring break travel season begins. Air traffic controllers work for the Federal Aviation Administration, which is not part of DHS, so they should not be directly affected by a shutdown.

4. Federal disaster response will still be available, but may slow down

The country’s main disaster recovery agency will be affected by the closure, but will still be able to respond to emergencies.

FEMA supports state and local governments when major disasters occur, including hurricanes, earthquakes, and major wildfires. For example, FEMA had personnel, food, and generators available during the ice storm that hit the eastern half of the United States earlier this winter.

That type of assistance is paid for with money from the Disaster Relief Fund, which was established by Congress. On Wednesday, FEMA Associate Administrator Gregg Phillips told Congress that the fund “has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities for the foreseeable future.”

FEMA also helps pay for disaster recovery costs, including home, school and road repairs, debris removal, and building infrastructure, such as flood walls, that can help protect people during the next disaster. That work often takes years and the closure will delay it because some employees may be laid off and some types of financing will not be available.

“A government shutdown would severely disrupt FEMA’s ability to reimburse states for disaster relief costs and support our recovery from disasters,” Phillips told House members.

5. Some Coast Guard missions may end up suspended

The US Coast Guard is a branch of the military, but is housed within DHS. Adm. Thomas Allan told the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday that during a shutdown the Coast Guard would have to suspend all non-essential missions and defer training and maintenance, along with commercial safety inspections and other services.

Coast Guard teams are deployed across the country and around the world and perform a wide range of missions deemed essential, from search and rescue to interdiction of drug trafficking vessels. Many of the 55,000 employees would have to continue working, risking not receiving pay during a shutdown. Although during the last shutdown, DHS used money from the Republican tax and spending bill to pay their salaries.