Part of the "shutdown" is still ongoing; U.S. Department of Homeland Security suspends two expedited clearance programs

According to a report by U.S. media on the 21st, due to the ongoing partial “shutdown” of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the department will suspend two programs that allow some travelers to pass through airport security checkpoints quickly. The Washington Post, citing a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson on the same day, reported that the DHS will suspend the “PreCheck Program” operated by the Transportation Security Administration and the “Global Entry Program” managed by Customs and Border Protection starting at 6 a.m. Eastern Time on the 22nd. The report said this is part of the DHS’s emergency measures in response to funding shortages and staffing shortages. The department stated that a series of adjustments beginning on the 22nd also include suspending airport security escort and other expedited services for members of Congress, as well as suspending all “non-disaster-related responses” by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that the department is making “difficult but necessary decisions regarding staff and resources.” Due to deadlock in Congress over immigration enforcement reform, temporary funding for DHS expired on the 13th of this month, leading to a partial “shutdown” starting on the 14th. However, employees of DHS agencies such as FEMA, TSA, and the Secret Service, considered “essential personnel,” are required to work without pay. The U.S. House and Senate began a 10-day recess on the 14th, and negotiations between Democrats and the White House over new funding proposals have so far failed to reach an agreement, with no end in sight to the partial “shutdown.” (Xinhua)