The Dumbest Shutdown Yet — And Americans Pay the Price

By Mark Alford

What’s Going On in Washington—Seventy-four million Americans voted for border enforcement, law and order, and a secure homeland. Instead of accepting that reality, Senate Democrats chose chaos. They shut down the Department of Homeland Security, and not to fix a “problem” but to attempt to score political points.

Let’s be clear: this shutdown doesn’t stop ICE. It doesn’t change immigration law. It doesn’t make Missouri safer. It hurts hardworking families in our Fourth District.

The House passed funding and sent it to the Senate, including $20 million for body cameras to increase transparency. We support accountability. But we will not endanger federal officers or ignore final deportation orders to appease activists.

When DHS shuts down, 260,000 Americans across 23 agencies are impacted.

The U.S. Coast Guard faces reduced patrols and disruptions that can affect shipping and supply chains. The Transportation Security Administration continues to operate, but prolonged shutdowns mean financial stress for officers and potential delays for travelers.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency risks delays in grants and preparedness activities. This is a huge risk for states prone to floods and tornadoes.

The Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue operations, but mission support slows and reimbursements stall.

Cybersecurity efforts at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are disrupted.

Training for future officers at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers is jeopardized. Even the U.S. Secret Service faces operational strain.

This isn’t “leadership”. It’s reckless.

As the only Missourian or Kansan on the House Appropriations Committee, I take funding government seriously. The House did its job. The Senate needs to do theirs.

Missourians don’t want political games. They want secure borders, safe communities, paid officers, and disaster response ready when storms hit.

Protect the truth. Protect our officers. Enforce the law. It’s time to end this shutdown and get back to serving the American people.