Dear john,

This past week, Democrats had the opportunity to reopen the Department of Homeland Security and show the American people that they prioritize our safety above politics. Instead, 209 Democrats voted to keep DHS closed, choosing to protect the illegal aliens they allowed into our country rather than fund the agencies responsible for keeping Americans safe.

Shutting down the department responsible for protecting our homeland is reckless and irresponsible.

The Department of Homeland Security oversees some of the most critical agencies in the federal government, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and many others. These are the agencies Americans depend on every day. They ensure safe travel through our airports, help communities recover from disasters, protect our coastlines, and safeguard our nation’s leaders.

Because of the ongoing Democrat shutdown of DHS, TSA agents are working without pay, FEMA operations are being disrupted following a historic winter storm season on the East Coast, and homeland security personnel are being asked to do their jobs with unnecessary uncertainty.

This decision comes at a time when threats against our country are at an all-time high. The danger facing our country is not theoretical. We saw it play out in real time in Austin just days ago.

In the early morning hours, an extremist drove into the crowded Sixth Street entertainment district and opened fire on innocent Americans gathered outside a popular bar. Witnesses say the attacker circled the area before stopping his vehicle and shooting into a patio packed with young people. He was wearing a sweatshirt that read “Property of Allah” with an Iranian flag shirt underneath as he carried out the attack. By the time police stopped him, multiple victims were dead and more than a dozen others were injured. 

This horrific attack should serve as a wake-up call. At a moment when extremist threats are rising and tensions overseas are escalating, the last thing America should be doing is weakening our homeland security infrastructure.