Democratic California Rep. Robert Garcia was photographed in Las Vegas enjoying drinks at a high-end casino during the government shutdown, TMZ reported Monday.
Senate Democrats filibustered funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) demanding restrictions on immigration enforcement operations, which has resulted in a partial shutdown of the department, with hundreds of Transportation Security Agency (TSA) employees either calling out of work or resigning, causing long lines at airports across the country. Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, was photographed bellying up to the bar of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a hotel on the famous Las Vegas strip with rooms that cost $356 a night, according to TMZ.
Garcia reportedly did not object to the photo being taken at the casino, waving away security guards who approached after he was confronted by a person who took the photos the gossip site posted, TMZ reported. In a post on X, Garcia attempted to blame House Speaker Mike Johnson for being at the hotel, where he claimed to have had lunch with his father.
Robert Garcia hits up a Las Vegas casino after Congress fails to reopen the government.
https://t.co/ZJqWZJpepO pic.twitter.com/AOulZoshgr
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 30, 2026
“Actually I don’t mind what TMZ is doing here. Like the story says my dad has lived in Vegas for 15 years and I had just finished lunch with him,” Garcia posted. “I try to see him whenever I can. And like I said a few days ago, Speaker Mike Johnson should have never sent us all home.”
Johnson rejected a bill passed by five Senators early Friday morning that funded all of DHS except for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
President Donald Trump ordered ICE agents to airports March 23 to assist TSA during the partial shutdown of DHS to address long lines in airports resulting from the TSA agents quitting or calling out of work. Trump also ordered Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullen to pay TSA agents in a Thursday post on Truth Social.
“I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports,” Trump posted.
Garcia did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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