Partial government shutdown becomes the longest in US history

The partial US government shutdown has become the longest in history, as lawmakers in Washington continue to fight over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).On Sunday, the shutdown reached 44 days, surpassing the previous longest funding lapse, which ended in November 2025.The current impasse has led to chaos at airports due to a shortage of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at security checkpoints, as they have gone without paycheques since it began.White House border tsar Tom Homan said on Sunday that TSA agents should start receiving pay early next week after US President Donald Trump signed an order attempting to free up cash.It is unclear, though, whether Trump's executive order will face legal challenges, as the US constitution tasks Congress with authorising spending for the federal government.Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday evening that he was prepared to "pay them [TSA agents] for as long as we need to" but urged Congress to pass a funding bill. Homan also told CBS, the BBC's US news partner, that even after the shutdown ended and funding for TSA was restored, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents currently deployed to airports across the country to help with travel disruptions would remain "until the airports feel like they are 100%"."Look, we're going to continue a nice presence there," he said, adding that the length of time they were there would depend on how many TSA agents came back to work after being paid.