Langworthy’s Weekly Newsletter, March 30, 2026

If you’ve been following the recent actions of Congress surrounding the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, you may be feeling frustrated and have some questions.

Believe me– I’m frustrated, too.

After more than 40 days of the shutdown, in the middle of the night on Thursday the Senate passed a bill to partially fund DHS except for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol. While I don’t believe that the Senate bill was the best possible solution, it finally broke the DHS stalemate, and I would have voted for it if given the opportunity. The Speaker instead chose to advance a 60-day Continuing Resolution that would reopen DHS in its entirety. While this too, was a temporary solution, at least it allowed for workers to be paid and all the functions of this critical agency to be fully operational. I hope the Senate does the right thing and funds the entirety of DHS for 60 days while negotiating a long-term solution that doesn’t compromise the safety and security of our nation.

Americans’ safety must always come first. In the last two weeks alone, two New Yorkers were murdered in cold blood at the hands of illegal immigrants who had no business being in our country. An 83-year-old veteran who served our country was violently pushed onto subway tracks and the heartbreaking tragedy of 18-year old Sheridan Gorman who was shot for no reason while innocently walking down the street.

Being outraged by the murders of two innocent souls shouldn’t be a Democrat or Republican issue—it’s an issue of humanity.

These aren’t one-offs. ICE has identified more than 58,000 illegal immigrants in New York City alone with criminal convictions or pending charges, including over 1,000 suspected gang members. Even more concerning, New York’s failure to honor ICE detainers has led to the release of nearly 7,000 criminal illegal aliens since January 2025 who are linked to serious offenses including homicide, assault, and weapons violations.

This isn’t about race, it’s about safety. Immigration enforcement agencies, including ICE, are among the most racially diverse within federal law enforcement. Over 50% in the U.S.B.P. are Hispanic or Latino and over 58% of female Enforcement and Removal Operations officers are women of color. Democrats have turned these American citizens who are risking their lives to protect our country into villains, just as they did with all of law enforcement during the BLM movement they gleefully exploited. Make no mistake: Chuck Schumer is only doing this to avoid a primary and protect his leadership position. If they were serious about compromise, they would have followed through on the deal that was negotiated with the White House more than a month ago.

But for a moment, let’s put the debate about illegal immigration enforcement aside because it’s important to remember that it’s only a fraction of what ICE and CPB are responsible for, and it’s why failing to fully fund the entire agency is a direct threat to our national security and public safety.

ICE also plays a critical role in investigating transnational crime, from the illegal movement of people, drugs, and weapons to complex schemes involving fraud and contraband that harm everyday Americans.

ICE is also on the front lines of preventing terrorism, tracking the people, money, and materials that fuel criminal and extremist networks before they can do harm. At the same time, these agents are responsible for investigating some of the most disturbing crimes we face, including child exploitation, human trafficking, and large-scale fraud schemes like online romance scams and gift card fraud often perpetrated by foreign actors. In the last year, they have recovered more than 62,000 missing migrant children who were vulnerable to trafficking and labor exploitation.

When funding is disrupted, these missions are put at risk. These investigations slow down, the workforce becomes demoralized, and dangerous criminals are given more freedom to do harm.

That is why the only sane, safe, and moral option is to fully fund DHS. I’m pleased the President is using executive authority to pay our TSA workers and I want the chaos at the airport to end just as much as everyone. A continuing resolution allows us to negotiate potential reforms without compromising safety. That is what responsible governing looks like.

Sincerely,