Thousands of Transportation Security Administration (T.S.A.) officers are working without pay as Congress remains at an impasse over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the T.S.A. The 50,000 workers have been unpaid since February 14, with many taking on second jobs to make ends meet. Some have even quit their jobs, and more than 10% did not report to work on Sunday.
The financial strain is affecting not only individual officers but also travelers at airports across the country. Security wait times are increasing, with some checkpoints closed or experiencing long lines. The T.S.A. has warned travelers to arrive three hours before their scheduled departure time to account for the delays.
T.S.A. officials and union representatives are calling on Congress to pass legislation that would pay officers during future shutdowns. Some experts say the T.S.A. is being used as a pawn in the political standoff, with Homeland Security officials having the option to reallocate funds to pay staff if they wanted to.
The situation has sparked concerns about the impact of prolonged shutdowns on air travel and the overall economy. Major airlines have urged Congress to fund D.H.S. and pass legislation that would support T.S.A. officers during future shutdowns.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/travel/tsa-airport-delays-shutdown.html