‘Why Would You Wanna Punish All These Workers?’: Sen Fetterman Does Not Spare Fellow Dems Over Gov’t Shutdown Effects

Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman on Saturday criticized his party for the ongoing partial government shutdown and its impacts on federal employees and operations.

Several agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), are under “emergency measures” due to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) closure, according to a DHS release. Fetterman said he spoke with TSA agents during his frequent trips about the effects of the shutdown. (RELATED: John Fetterman Has a Message for Fellow Democrats Who Made a Scene at SOTU)

WATCH:

“I’m the only Democrat who refused to vote to close DHS, literally the only one,” Fetterman said on Saturday’s episode of “The Big Weekend Show.” “And now everyone agrees that it would have no impact on ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. They already have their funding, and it doesn’t push or force ICE to undertake the kinds of reforms that people also think are necessary now.”

“Why would you want to punish all these workers who report to DHS? The only thing it can do is just make us less safe, and it also forces people to leave without getting paid,” Fetterman continued. “I’m at the airport pretty much every week of the year and I’m asking all these TSA agents, and I said, ‘Hey, do you like not getting paid for your job?’ I haven’t met anyone who said, “No, it’s not a problem. »

Democrats are demanding new restrictions on ICE after federal law enforcement officers were involved in the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in January during Operation Metro Surge. The various incidents occurred amid the deployment of hundreds of federal agents to Minnesota in response to reports of welfare fraud involving Somali migrants.

Fetterman also criticized Democrats for their efforts to block funding.

“It’s no big deal, you know,” Fetterman said. “I really don’t understand that, other than it’s just toxic for a Democrat to agree with something when maybe the Republican side might agree with it. And now I know that, but it’s very simple: more of a country than a party, or ‘I’m going to put these union workers on it,’ or the security of America over what the rank and file might demand.”

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news service, is available free to any legitimate news publisher capable of delivering a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and DCNF affiliation. For questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact licenses@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.