TSA workers miss first full paycheck as shutdown drags on

61,000 workers got nothing on March 14

About 61,000 TSA employees received no pay on their March 14 paychecks.

They had gotten only partial pay at the end of February, and now the first full paycheck has come and gone with nothing in it. TSA officers are classified as essential, so they have to keep showing up.

This is the second time in under six months they have worked without pay. The previous shutdown lasted a record 43 days and ended in November 2025.

A congressional fight over immigration cut DHS funding

DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 14, 2026, after Congress could not agree on immigration enforcement reforms. The dispute started when federal agents fatally shot two American citizens in Minneapolis in January 2026.

Democrats say they will not fund ICE and CBP without significant operational changes. Republicans say those demands go too far.

DHS is the only federal department without funding for the rest of the fiscal year, and TSA workers are the ones paying the price.

More than 300 officers have walked out

More than 300 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began. That number is already painful, but it may be a preview of what is coming.

During the 2025 shutdown, more than 1,000 officers resigned in October and November alone. Former TSA administrator John Pistole warned that repeated shutdowns make it harder to recruit new workers.

If you were thinking about applying for a TSA job, would you take it knowing you might work weeks without a paycheck?

Absences have tripled at some airports

The nationwide unscheduled absence rate jumped from about 2% before the shutdown to over 6% during it. Some airports are far worse.

JFK Airport in New York recorded an average callout rate of about 21%. At Houston’s Hobby Airport, more than 53% of the TSA workforce called out on at least one day.

Workers from Dallas were relocated to Houston to fill the gaps. Some officers have taken second jobs driving for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash just to cover their bills.

Security lines stretch past two hours

Passengers at airports in Houston, Atlanta, New York, New Orleans and Austin have faced hours-long waits. Hobby Airport in Houston reported lines exceeding three hours on some days.

TSA tracked operational hotspots where staffing shortages threatened checkpoint operations, according to a CBS News report on internal TSA data.

Houston recorded 44 such incidents, New Orleans had 35, and Atlanta had 32. The highest single-day count nationwide hit 87 hotspots on March 8.

Officers struggle to pay rent and buy groceries

TSA officers earn between roughly $46,000 and $55,000 with locality pay. Starting base pay runs about $34,500 before any adjustments.

That is not a lot of cushion when the paychecks stop. Workers report being unable to afford gas, child care, rent and groceries.

Some have received eviction notices.

Some TSA workers are married to each other, which means their entire household lost all income at once.

Airports open food pantries for workers

Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas reopened its Food and Essentials Pantry, which was nearly empty within days of opening.

Denver International Airport asked the public to donate $10 and $20 grocery store and gas gift cards. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport opened a pantry requesting non-perishable food, hygiene items and diapers.

Cleveland, Orlando and Pocatello, Idaho, also set up donation drives. MGM Resorts donated 700 box lunches to Las Vegas TSA workers.

Travelers still pay security fees every flight

Every time you buy a domestic airline ticket, you pay a $5.60 per-segment aviation security fee. That fee has been collected since TSA was created after Sept. 11, 2001.

The money keeps piling up during the shutdown. But none of it reaches TSA workers until Congress restores funding.

Former TSA administrator John Pistole confirmed the fees keep accruing with no mechanism to pay workers, as established by federal regulation, until a funding deal passes.

Spring break arrives as staffing hits bottom

The shutdown landed at one of the worst possible times.

Spring break travel is one of the busiest periods of the year, and fewer officers are now screening more passengers. Some airports have advised travelers to arrive as many as five hours before departure.

TSA employees have worked without pay for nearly half of all workdays in fiscal year 2026, according to the American Association of Airport Executives.

Back pay is guaranteed, but the timeline is not

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 requires retroactive pay for federal workers after a shutdown ends, covering both furloughed employees and those required to work without pay.

But the White House challenged that interpretation during the 2025 shutdown, arguing the law merely allows Congress to provide back pay rather than requiring it. Multiple lawmakers and legal scholars disagreed.

After that shutdown ended, workers did receive back pay, but the debate has added real uncertainty for workers waiting now.

Congress has no deal in sight

Senate Democrats have blocked DHS funding bills at least four times since Feb. 12. Republicans blocked a Democratic alternative bill that would have funded non-immigration DHS agencies separately.

Some DHS law enforcement officers, including ICE, CBP and Secret Service, continue to receive pay through funding from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law in 2025. TSA workers are not covered by that funding.

Congress would need to pass new legislation to end the shutdown, and no agreement appears close.

Workers keep showing up with no end date in sight

Workers still on the job face growing financial strain with no clear timeline for resolution. Industry analysts suggest some travelers may choose to drive rather than fly if airport delays keep growing.

The American Association of Airport Executives president warned the negative effects will get worse before they improve.

TSA’s union says officers should not be caught in a political fight that has nothing to do with airport security. The shutdown is now approaching one month with no deal on the table.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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