The Department of Homeland Security is set to inform Congress that a funding deadlock has left 50,000 airport security workers operating without pay, leading to significant airport delays and potential security concerns.
Ha McNeil from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to report to a House committee that since the funding issues began, 460 TSA employees have left their positions, in contrast to 1,110 who resigned during the 2025 government shutdown.
This comes at a time when travel volumes are rising, with a 5% increase compared to last year, coinciding with the busy spring break season.
McNeil’s written testimony, which was reviewed by Reuters, indicates that the absence rate among TSA staff has recently surpassed 10%, resulting in waiting times of as much as four and a half hours in some locations.
She mentioned alarming accounts of TSA agents who resort to sleeping in their cars to save on gas, selling blood and plasma, or taking on multiple jobs just to make ends meet while they’re expected to maintain high performance levels protecting the public.
In her remarks, she highlighted the various hardships faced by employees, such as eviction notices, difficulties with childcare, missed payments, late fees, credit damage, and even defaults on loans, all exacerbated during the shutdown.
In a related political context, Democrats have suggested cutting funding for DHS and altering rules regarding immigration operations following a shooting incident involving a Minneapolis officer and two American citizens.
Republicans have pushed back against Democratic efforts to secure TSA funding amid discussions around reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
To address the crisis, hundreds of immigration and Homeland Security Investigations agents were sent to 14 U.S. airports on Monday to help with security screenings, particularly in areas where wait times soared to three or four hours.
DHS reported that nearly 11% of TSA employees, equating to over 3,200, were not showing up for work as a result of the ongoing situation.
Interestingly, other law enforcement personnel within ICE and DHS continue to receive their paychecks during this shutdown.
At major airports including New York JFK, Baltimore, Houston Hobby, Atlanta, and New Orleans, more than 30% of TSA employees were absent on Monday, according to information from DHS.
ICE agents were also spotted at Washington Dulles on Tuesday, and at LaGuardia Airport in New York, they were present in the terminal but not performing TSA duties.
Separately, Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona, has proposed a bill to provide a 10% bonus to over 100,000 DHS employees for unpaid hours during the partial government shutdown that began in mid-February.
