Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced yesterday that he will use executive power to pay salaries for 50,000 airport security personnel after a congressional agreement to address the staffing shortage stalled, severely impacting travel nationwide. President Trump stated that he ordered the Department of Homeland Security to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to handle emergencies and end the chaos that occurred at various airports.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Homeland Security revealed that since the partial government shutdown began in February, nearly 500 TSA (Transport Security Advisor) officers at airports have resigned due to parliamentary conflicts over the ministry's budget allocation, resulting in these officers performing their duties without pay. However, it remains unclear how long this budget allocation will last, or whether President Trump has drawn on funds from the Department of Homeland Security approved last year as part of a larger tax and spending bill.
Democratic members of Congress have delayed approving funding for the Department of Homeland Security to allow for changes to immigration regulations following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by officers in Minneapolis.