'Look, I don't understand': Tom Homan unable to defend why Trump stalled on TSA pay

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

March 29, 2026 10:21AM ET


Donald Trump’s border czar, who oversaw the president's demands to deploy ICE agents to the nation’s overwhelmed airports, was at a loss for words on CNN on Sunday morning as to why the president just didn’t pay TSA agents from the start when funding ran out.

With the country’s airports in chaos due to TSA no-showing at their jobs since they were not being paid, Tom Homan filled in the gaps to a slight degree with ICE agents pulled from their jobs, rounding up immigrants off the streets to help out overwhelmed TSA agents and harried travelers. On “State of the Union,” host Jake Tapper had to ask Homan twice why Trump didn’t alleviate the problem weeks ago. On his second try, Tapper asked, “But if if President Trump had the power to pay TSA agents this whole time, why only start doing it now?”

After a pause, Homan admitted, “Look, I don't understand. Look, I'm a cop, I don't understand the whole, you know, appropriations language, appropriations law. I just, you know, I'm just glad that President Trump is able to pay the TSA agents –– at least that's a start. But again, there's a lot more, many more, thousands more, tens of thousands of more DHS employees who are not being paid that need to be paid.”

The CNN host pressed, “Once TSA agents start getting paid, will ICE agents leave the airports?”. “We'll see,” the Trump official replied. “You know, it depends how many TSA agents come back to work, how many TSA agents have actually quit and have no plan coming back to work.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-tsa/

---

Apparently they are using "unused funds" from "last year's" appropriation - or so they say. Normally these appropriations are good for a single fiscal year and need to be renewed each year or it falls back into the Treasury. But given this was DHS, who knows what crap was written in the appropriations, including "multi-year".

[Justice matters.]

1. Maybe homan should return the paper bag...

and the 50 grand in cash that were hidden inside (then ask for a pardon to the ass he keeps on kissing)?

[Pesky1]

2. Hey Tommy...fess up

The number of returning TSA agents has nothing to do with it. Your combat decked SS type troopers can't even do the job you claim they are there for. No training. They are only standing around with fifty pounds of combat regalia drinking coffee.

[James48]

3. Because it's a FELONY

The law requires CONGRESS to appropriate funding, not the President.
It’s called the Anti-Deficiency Act, and it requires that Comgress must approve spending.
You can’t “reprogram money” from other departments to spend on things Comgress has not approved. It’s contained now in 31 USC 1341.

Antideficiency Act

This act prohibits federal agencies from obligating or expending federal funds in advance or in excess of an appropriation, and from accepting voluntary services.

The Antideficiency Act prohibits federal employees from making or authorizing an expenditure from, or creating or authorizing an obligation under, any appropriation or fund in excess of the amount available in the appropriation or fund unless authorized by law. 31 U.S.C. § 1341(a)(1)(A).
involving the government in any obligation to pay money before funds have been appropriated for that purpose, unless otherwise allowed by law. 31 U.S.C. § 1341(a)(1)(B).
accepting voluntary services for the United States, or employing personal services not authorized by law, except in cases of emergency involving the safety of human life or the protection of property. 31 U.S.C. § 1342.
making obligations or expenditures in excess of an apportionment or reapportionment, or in excess of the amount permitted by agency regulations. 31 U.S.C. § 1517(a).

Federal employees who violate the Antideficiency Act are subject to two types of sanctions: administrative and penal. Employees or Officers may be subject to appropriate administrative discipline including, when circumstances warrant, suspension from duty without pay or removal from office. In addition, employees may also be subject to fines, imprisonment, or both. 3 year felony.