On Wednesday’s CNN This Morning, host Audie Cornish and her guest panel shifted the pervious day's narrative with an actual allusion to the idea of the DHS shutdown being caused by Democrats. After, Cornish and panelist Antjuan Seawright framed the shutdown as a simple attempt to reform ICE while Republicans refused to fund other aspects of DHS.
It should, once again, be noted that ICE was already funded from the Big Beautiful Bill. Also, the partial funding push from Democrats is a new phenomenon in the face of airport security delays and the Iran conflict.
Cornish introduced the segment with information on increased wait time at airports before correctly stating the situation: “So, when is this going to end? I mean agents have been working without pay for more than a month. Democrats have been refusing to fund DHS without reforms to ICE.”
CNN's Audie Cornish actually placed some blame on Democrats for TSA agents not getting paid during the shutdown.
— Nick (@nspin310) March 18, 2026
CORNISH: (...) I mean [TSA] agents have been working without pay for more than a month. Democrats have been refusing to fund DHS without reforms to ICE." pic.twitter.com/41i4qr61pg
Cornish shifted to the Democrat angle of ICE reforms needed to end the shutdown, as she took issue with a White House list, which listed possible reforms in negotiations:
(...) lastly, adhering to existing laws not to deport U.S. citizens.
I really like that last one. Group chat is back. Some of the things I didn't see on there are sensitive locations including polling stations, which Democrats had started to nudge in that direction, even though that was not the original definition of sensitive locations under previous law.
Then, Seawright started the talking point of Democrats apparent want to now fund everything at DHS besides immigration enforcement. He actually slipped up and said Dems want to fund everything except ICE and DHS.
He said, “while Republicans want to hoodwink the American people that Democrats are holding up funding for TSA agents and so forth, they've been funding bills brought to the floor to be voted on, to open up every single aspect of the agencies, with the exception of ICE, DHS and ICE.”
Cornish saved Seawright and said there are multiple bills to fund TSA and other things, something that was a point of conversation on CNN and MS NOW yesterday.
After a video the Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) confrontation at an airport, panelist Charlie Dent said it was bad for politicians to shutdown the government for policy changes:
Look, there is a real problem in this country that if each side, both Republicans and Democrats, have used these shutdowns now to advance specific policy.
Cornish said, “that’s true,” before Dent moved on to agree ICE should be reformed while saying it is “absolutely wrong” that “TSA workers, the coast guard, FEMA” are “paying the price.”
Panelist and NOTUS reporter, Jasmine Wright, left the segment with an admittance about the topic of ICE:
Are they losing the political argument, because you are getting further and further away? There are so many things happening in the news cycle. And so, people aren't concerned as much about ICE - (...) - and yet, they're concerned about the airports. and people not getting paid and their prices getting higher.
At least there was finally a checkup on reality at CNN where they finally admit Democrats are the cause of an unneeded shutdown.
The transcript is below. Click "expand":
CNN This Morning
March 18, 2026
6:17:14 AM Eastern
AUDIE CORNISH: CNN is currently tracking TSA wait times at major airports. It is 6:17 Eastern. Already wait times in Atlanta, Orlando and JFK in New York are close to one hour.
Hundreds of TSA workers across the country haven't shown up for work this week amid this Department of Homeland Security shutdown. The system, it’s hit a rough patch. A TSA official warns some smaller airports could be forced to shut down if DHS isn't funded soon.
So, when is this going to end? I mean agents have been working without pay for more than a month. Democrats have been refusing to fund DHS without reforms to ICE.
{Cuts to video)
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): ICE being able to wear masks; to be able to pull people out of their cars and throw them to the ground; to be able to gas little babies; and to be able to shoot people in broad daylight with no accountability. That is not helping reduce lines at the airport.
(Cuts back to live)
CORNISH: So, the White House actually released a letter just yesterday, signaling that it might be ready to make some concessions.
So, what do they include? Expanded use of body cameras at ICE, some limits on enforcement activities at so-called sensitive areas, specifically schools and hospitals, increased congressional oversight of DHS detention facilities, and visible IDs for DHS law enforcement. And lastly, adhering to existing laws not to deport U.S. citizens.
I really like that last one. Group chat is back. Some of the things I didn't see on there are sensitive locations including polling stations, which Democrats had started to nudge in that direction, even though that was not the original definition of sensitive locations under previous law.
And also, there are questions about use of force policy and oversight. So where is this going, Antjuan? Like, what do Democrats need in writing to feel good about ending the shutdown?
ANTJUAN SEAWRIGHT: To answer your first question, nowhere fast. Democrats have been very intentional about what their asks are, including ICE agents, like normal law enforcement officials, not wear masks. And the whole warrant process, not being able to illegally enter a business.
CORNISH: So, the administrative versus judicial warrants.
SEAWRIGHT: Versus judicial warrants. I think that's a big sticking point. The body cameras and all the things that have been laid out.
And while Republicans want to hoodwink the American people that Democrats are holding up funding for TSA agents and so forth, they've been funding bills brought to the floor to be voted on, to open up every single aspect of the agencies, with the exception of ICE, DHS and ICE.
CORNISH: So, let me make this clear for people, and you can tell me if I'm right. So, basically, there have been bills put forward that say, OK fine, fund TSA.
JASMINE WRIGHT: Yes.
CORNISH: But you still can't have money for ICE. What's going on with that legislation?
WRIGHT: Yes. I mean, Democrats have basically tried to say, We will fund every part of DHS except for ICE and Border Patrol, so that we can get these negotiations out of the way.
The White House has told me that they're not conceding that. They're not allowing Democrats to open up other parts of DHS without funding ICE, because -
CORNISH: Because that's their leverage. Right? They want to point at the lines and say -
WRIGHT: Yes, that's because they know that it's never going to get reopened.
I mean, I think I was sent that list by the White House yesterday, and, you know, that is true. But there are some caveats, like with the ID part, it says this does not pertain to undercover agents. With the sensitive sites, it says, unless there are credible enforcement efforts needed to do that, right?
CORNISH: Yes, and we know their definitions of things like credible and imminent are - yeah.
WRIGHT: So I think that this list is really far away from what Democrats want.
CORNISH: Ok but here's what the public sees.
WRIGHT: Yes.
CORNISH: John Cornyn, Republican in a vicious primary versus a House Democrat, Greg Casar in Texas. Let me show you this exchange.
(Cuts to video)
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Why don't you tell me your Democrats to vote to pay these poor people?
REP. GREG CASAR (D-TX): Let's do it. Let's do it.
CORNYN: No, you do it.
CASAR: No, no, you don't have to yell at me.
CORNYN: I've voted for it time and time again.
CASAR: Let's go. Let's - let's talk for a second. There's a bipartisan bill to fund just the TSA. Can we do that together?
CORNYN: Not acceptable.
CASAR: Not acceptable to fund just the TSA?
CORNYN: You want to fund -- how about all the terrorist attacks like we see down on Sixth Street? Do you want those to continue? These people are keeping us safe. Tell the Democrats to vote for funding the DHS.
(Cuts back to live)
CORNISH: If you can believe this, I think people were there to bring hamburgers. Like I think this was a Whataburger, like campaign moment where everyone is supposed to show that they were helping TSA. And then it ends up in a "See you outside," you know, debacle, let's just say. Like, what is this debate that we just saw?
CHARLIE DENT: Look, there is a real problem in this country that, if each side, both Republicans and Democrats, have used these shutdowns now to advance specific policy.
CORNISH: That's true. Yes.
DENT: This is a very bad thing. Now, look, it's true that we need to reform ICE. No question about that. But at the same time, these TSA workers, the Coast Guard, FEMA, they are paying the price. This is absolutely wrong. They need to fund this thing.
And this thing is going to end when enough people like that, that gentleman we just saw, who was complaining about standing in line, when we hear enough of those people.
CORNISH: Yeah
DENT: This is when this ends.
CORNISH: And we heard from TSA workers again. They're being hit multiple times because of various shutdowns. So, they're - you know what I mean?
WRIGHT: They now lose their second paycheck.
CORNISH: Which is when they quit. Now, you know, most people are like, you know what, probably I'd do the same.
SEAWRIGHT: But let's show you how serious this administration -
WRIGHT: I mean, almost 400 TSA agents have quit. So --
SEAWRIGHT: Let me show you how unserious this White House is. The last line that you mentioned in your opening is promise not to deport American citizens. Following the law that already exists. They --
CORNISH: Yeah. I wish I didn't need to [Inaudible] that promise.
SEAWRIGHT: They have been declarative that they have not deported American citizens. That's why you know they're very unserious. They're not interested in funding the government properly. And certainly, they're not interested in real reforms to ICE, because ICE is, in fact, working for them among their base.
WRIGHT: But I do wonder if the further away you get from some of those really, you know, concerning moments, like in Minnesota. Right
CORNISH: The deaths of two U.S. citizens.
WRIGHT: The further you get away from those, is it the further that Democrats get away from their leverage? Right?
CORNISH: Yeah.
WRIGHT: Are they losing the political argument, because you are getting further and further away? There are so many things happening in the news cycle. And so, people aren't concerned as much about ICE -
CORNISH: Yes. It's yet another waiting game.
WRIGHT: - and yet, they're concerned about the airports.and people not getting paid and their prices getting higher.
CORNISH: It's another waiting game at the expense of many other people. We’re going to talk more. We actually got a Democrat coming on, we’ll actually be able to ask that question.
(...)
