Washington, March 29 (IANS) A funding standoff has disrupted US airports, with thousands of federal workers unpaid, as White House border czar Tom Homan said Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff will only be paid "as soon as Congress opens up the government and funds the Department of Homeland Security".

Speaking to CNN on Sunday, Homan said efforts were underway to ensure TSA workers receive pay soon, but stressed that a broader resolution depends on the US Congress.

"As soon as Congress opens up the government and funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). That's what needs to happen," he said.

He added that there was "a plan to get these TSA agents pay hopefully by tomorrow or Tuesday".

The partial shutdown has led to long security lines at major airports, with officials deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to assist TSA operations.

Homan defended the move, saying ICE officers were helping reduce congestion.

"Every place we send ICE officers, the lines have decreased," he said, noting that agents were checking identification and securing exit points.

However, critics argue the measure is insufficient.

A union leader described the deployment as ineffective, likening it to "giving a person dying of pneumonia a teaspoon of cough syrup".

The funding impasse has exposed sharp divisions in Washington.

A bipartisan Senate Bill aimed at partially funding DHS failed to advance in the House, where Republican leaders opposed the measure.

The disagreement centres on funding for immigration enforcement agencies and proposed restrictions on ICE operations.

Homan accused lawmakers opposing the US administration's approach of attempting to limit enforcement.

"They want to prevent ICE from doing their job," he said, adding: "If they don't like what ICE is doing, then change the law."

Democrats, meanwhile, have said that additional funding should be tied to reforms.

Senator Andy Kim warned that the stalemate is hurting ordinary Americans.

"For the Americans that are standing in line right now at the airports... that's because Speaker Mike Johnson cared about his job more than what you are going through," Kim said.

He added that the shutdown "should have ended" earlier and criticised the US administration for delaying relief for TSA workers despite having the authority to act.

The impasse comes amid heightened security concerns, with officials citing global tensions as a reason to fully fund the DHS.

Homan said the agency should be prioritised "in a time we have a heightened threat posture right now in this country".

The US Congress is now in recess for two weeks, leaving uncertainty over when a resolution may be reached.

In the meantime, federal workers across DHS -- including Coast Guard personnel, cybersecurity staff and support teams -- remain affected.

The standoff has also become a broader political flashpoint, intersecting with debates over immigration policy, federal spending and executive authority.

It has triggered protests across the country and intensified partisan rhetoric ahead of upcoming elections.

--IANS

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