On Feb. 14, 2026, after an inability to reach a conclusion on funding legislation, the Department of Homeland Security was forced to shut down. The shutdown, more specifically, stemmed from disputes in the House over how to fund immigration enforcement and border patrol operations.
I am not here to express the political conditions and policy details that have led us to this current moment. Instead, I am here to express the frustration that so many of us feel, a feeling that has become all too familiar with shutdowns like this one.
Government shutdowns have been increasingly used as a political tool, rather than a last resort. While shutdowns have existed for decades, their frequency has accelerated in recent years. Of the 12 shutdowns in the past 40 years, nearly half have occurred in just the last 13. What was once rare has now become routine.
While shutdowns have always disrupted daily life, this one has proven especially chaotic due to its impact on travel.
Although the shutdown originated from immigration disputes, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ensured that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continued to receive funding and remain operational. Meanwhile, agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (T.S.A.) were left without pay. The result has been immediate and visible: airports overwhelmed with delays as workers continue to show up without compensation.
The current solution? Send ICE agents to the airport.
Not only are ICE agents not trained in aviation safety, but lack any sort of proper training or credibility to even responsibly enforce immigration protocols. Beyond that, for many travelers, ICE is not a neutral authority: it is a source of anxiety and trauma. Replacing trained T.S.A. agents with ICE officers does not solve the problem; it fundamentally reshapes the experience of public spaces in ways that surveil rather than protect.
This solution has only proven how misguided the government has become, as they choose to ignore the root of the issue. While ICE agents might aid in lengthy T.S.A. lines, they do not consider the agents going weeks without pay.
Ultimately, the burden of a shutdown falls on those with the least power to control it. Federal workers continue to work without pay and everyday systems begin to break down. Meanwhile, the lawmakers responsible for the impasse remain largely insulated from its consequences.
If shutdowns are going to be used as leverage, then accountability must follow. Congressional members should not be exempt from the effects of the crises they create. One proposed solution would require them to share the financial consequences. Not only would this be more fair, but it would also create real urgency to reach real solutions (ICE at the airport is not a real solution).
Shutdowns are often framed as political strategy, but their impacts affect everyone. They are felt in missed flights and unpaid workers. When the government begins to treat instability as routine, the public is forced to do the same.
The Zeitgeist aims to publish ideas worth discussing. The views presented are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board.
