The longest government shutdown in modern U.S. history turns 1 month old on Tuesday. The financial stress faced by federal workers who have already missed their first paycheck has been well-documented. But the threat to homeland security has not.
U.S. adversaries could exploit the shutdown by trying to corrupt border agents and airport screeners who are doing their jobs but not getting paid. Transnational criminal organizations and drug cartels have tried to bribe officers before.
The Project on Government Oversight reported last April that at least 13 employees have been arrested on corruption-related charges since January 2017. In November 2017, a border patrol agent was arrested for bribery and drug related charges.
