In a delicious twist of irony, the very Democrats who have spent years demanding "reforms" to ICE and calling for the abolition of immigration enforcement are now crying about losing their VIP airport escort services during the government shutdown they helped trigger.
The Department of Homeland Security activated emergency measures as TSA operations were hit by the shutdown, suspending congressional escorts while keeping PreCheck operational for regular Americans. That means the same politicians who wanted to handcuff our border agents are now stuck waiting in security lines like the rest of us.
For years, these same Democrats have painted ICE as the villain, demanding everything from budget cuts to complete abolition of the agency that protects our borders. Remember when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez compared ICE facilities to "concentration camps"? Or when dozens of House Democrats voted to defund ICE entirely?
The Party That Hates Border Security Loses Its Perks
Now these hypocrites are facing the consequences of their own political games. While they were busy grandstanding about immigration "reform" and blocking funding for border security, they never thought they'd lose their own special treatment at airports.
The Trump administration's DHS, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, made the smart call to keep PreCheck running for hardworking Americans while cutting the fat – including those cushy congressional perks that Democrats have grown accustomed to.
This is what happens when you play politics with national security. The same party that wanted to defund the police, abolish ICE, and open our borders is now discovering that actions have consequences.
"Maybe if Democrats had supported proper funding for border security instead of playing political games, we wouldn't be in this mess," said one GOP aide.
While regular Americans continue to benefit from PreCheck services, the political elites who created this mess are finally getting a taste of the inefficiency they've inflicted on our government agencies.
Perhaps standing in those security lines will give these Democrats time to reflect on their failed policies. But don't hold your breath – accountability has never been their strong suit.