The partial shutdown of the U.S. Homeland Security Department (DHS), which leaves Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screeners working without pay, has raised concerns that delays at security checkpoints could lead to disruptions in air travel.
While the rest of the federal government is funded through Sept. 30, DHS funding lapsed Feb. 14. DHS agency TSA employs nearly 50,000 transportation security officers (TSOs) at more than 430 U.S. commercial airports. TSA has suspended all non-essential activities and all TSOs are working without pay.
The latest DHS shutdown comes on the heels of a 43-day government-wide shutdown that occurred in October and November of 2025, during which TSOs also worked without pay.
While TSA employees receive back pay when shutdowns end, the financial stress caused by another shutdown so soon could have serious consequences for the agency, including increasing numbers of call outs by TSOs, rising attrition and a slowdown in technology roll outs, TSA acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill warned Congress in testimony last week.
Democrats in Congress are pushing for reforms at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a DHS agency, while Republicans and the White House continue to stick by controversial tactics deployed by ICE in recent months. Talks to pass legislation to fund DHS appear to be stalled, which could mean a protracted lapse in TSA funding.
A DHS shutdown could “lead to higher wait times [at airport security checkpoints] and missed or delayed flights,” Airlines for America (A4A), the U.S. Travel Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association said in a joint statement. “Funding uncertainties create lasting damage to the entire travel ecosystem.”
According to McNeill, around 1,110 TSOs left TSA during the fall 2025 shutdown, “a more than 25% increase in TSO separations from the same time period in 2024.” She said another shutdown will put enormous financial pressure on the airport security screener workforce. “Many TSOs that left attributed their separation due to the uncertainty, stress, missed paychecks and financial hardships of the government shutdown,” McNeill said.
“Many TSOs work paycheck to paycheck trying to support themselves and their families,” she told Congress. “During a shutdown, the ability to pay for rent, bills, groceries, childcare and gas just to get to work becomes very challenging, leading to increased unscheduled absences [call outs] as a shutdown progresses. Higher call outs can result in longer wait times at checkpoints, leading to missed or delayed flights, which has a cascading negative impact on the American economy.”
She said most TSOs “valiantly reported to work and kept our operations running smoothly” during the previous shutdown, but warned that another protracted lapse in TSA funding could cause more disruption this time.
During the previous government-wide partial shutdown, TSOs “all felt the financial strain and stress of not knowing when paychecks were coming,” McNeill said. “Many in our workforce were subject to late fees and penalties for missed bill payments, eviction notices, loss of long-term childcare arrangements, and more. Some are just now recovering from the financial impact of the 43-day shutdown, while many are still reeling from it. We cannot put them through another such experience.”
She added that “shutdown and funding uncertainties have real and measurable impacts on recruitment, retention and employee morale.” The timing of the latest shutdown is especially problematic, McNeill added, pointing to coming peak travel periods such as school spring breaks and the start of the summer season.
This summer will see the U.S. play host to the FIFA World Cup and the expected high levels of travel, including international visitors, associated with it, she noted.
TSA “is focused on surge staffing in March, April and May to be prepared,” McNeill said. “Another shutdown would severely impact TSA’s ability to meet these personnel needs.”
She added a shutdown would also “delay technology improvements and deployments ... [and compromise] our ability to handle year-over-year passenger volume growth, in addition to preparing for large world events.”
A4A, the U.S. Travel Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association said the shutdown “increases the risk of unscheduled [TSO] absences and call outs,” adding that the 2025 shutdown “disrupted travel for more than 6 million travelers.”
The organizations called on Congress to “act with urgency to ensure TSA is fully funded to carry out its critical aviation security mission and pursue permanent solutions to guarantee pay for essential federal workers.”
Related Content
