US President Donald Trump has said he would sign an order instructing the Department of Homeland Security to pay airport security officers who have been working without salary amid a budget standoff on Capitol Hill.
"I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA (Transportation Security Administration ) Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports," Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Thursday.
Trump criticised Democrats over their stance on immigration enforcement funding.
"The Radical Left Democrats are ON THE SIDE OF CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS, AND NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE," he said.
He claimed Democrats were refusing to fund immigration enforcement unless Republicans agreed to "Open Border Policies."
"They almost destroyed our Country, allowing 25 Million People to enter from Prisons, Mental Institutions, and Insane Asylums, those that are Drug Dealers, and thousands of Murderers, many of whom killed more than one person," he stated.
He said the situation had created a "true National Crisis."
"Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country," he said.
Standoff
He added that the move aimed to "quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports," noting: "It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it!"
Trump also thanked TSA and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel for their work.
"I will not allow the Radical Left Democrats to hold our Country hostage any longer," he said.
Many TSA staff at the nation's airports have gone weeks without full pay due to the partial government shutdown.
Trump recently deployed ICE agents to airports to alleviate soaring congestion at security screenings.
