Due to funding issues, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States began a shutdown in the early hours of February 14th. This shutdown affects the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), responsible for airport security, with employees currently working without pay. Travel and aviation industry groups have issued warnings that the longer the DHS shutdown lasts, the longer the security queue times at commercial airports may become.
The funding bill has faced obstacles in the Senate, leading to the DHS shutdown starting on the early hours of February 14th. The TSA, a sub-agency of the DHS, is responsible for passenger and baggage security at airports across the United States. According to the DHS’s emergency plan, 95% of TSA employees are considered “essential personnel,” necessitating them to continue working on security checks and baggage scans for passengers at commercial airports nationwide.
Senior TSA official and Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill stated that while some employees have recovered from the economic impacts of the 43-day government shutdown at the end of last year, many are still struggling to do so. With the current situation of unpaid work, the likelihood of employees taking leave or vacation time may increase.
In contrast to the federal government shutdown from October 1st to November 12th in 2025, this current shutdown only affects the Department of Homeland Security and some of its sub-agencies. The work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is largely unaffected by the DHS shutdown, thanks to the tax and spending reduction act proposed by President Trump in 2025, providing approximately $75 billion in funding for ICE and around $65 billion for CBP.
With funding allocated for other federal departments until September 30th, air traffic controllers hired by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are working as usual with pay, significantly reducing the risk of large-scale flight cancellations.
However, the extended period of TSA employees working without pay is bound to impact airport security operations. For instance, following a month-long federal government shutdown last year, TSA temporarily closed two security lanes at the Philadelphia International Airport and the government uncommonly ordered all commercial airlines to cut down on domestic flight schedules on that day.
The funding blockage in the DHS and TSA employees working without pay not only affects passengers but also involves various industries such as travel and accommodation.
The U.S. Travel Association, Airlines for America, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association issued a joint statement on February 13th, expressing concern as a new government shutdown approaches with one of the busiest travel periods of the year coming up – spring break. They emphasized the inability of passengers and the U.S. economy to withstand essential TSA personnel working without pay, which may increase risks of temporary absences and leaves, ultimately leading to longer wait times and flight delays. The statement paid tribute to all TSA employees, especially frontline staff, who continued to serve passengers during the 43-day shutdown last year.
The statement further highlighted that the uncertainty around government funding will cause long-term harm to the entire travel ecosystem, especially impacting airlines, hotels, and the thousands of small businesses supported by the travel industry. “Just during the last shutdown, it resulted in approximately $6 billion in economic impact – nearly $140 million per day – affecting the travel plans of over six million travelers.”
The statement concluded by emphasizing the need for Congress to take swift action to ensure TSA receives adequate funding to fulfill its critical aviation security mission and seek permanent solutions to ensure essential federal employees receive pay during funding disruptions.