Trending Now - Global Entry Program Resumes Amid Ongoing DHS Shutdown
WHO:
Colleen Kelly (travel expert) provided tips for navigating travel chaos during the shutdown.
Chris Sununu (CEO of Airlines for America) urged Congress and the administration to act quickly to end the shutdown, stating, "America's transportation security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage."
President Trump, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Colleen Kelly (travel expert), Chris Sununu (CEO of Airlines for America), Geoff Freeman (president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association)
WHAT:
Travelers at some U.S. airports faced wait times of 3.5 hours due to officer shortages during the shutdown.
More than 300 employees have left the TSA since the start of the partial shutdown.
The Global Entry program was reactivated by DHS on March 11th, 2026, at 5 a.m. ET.
Global Entry expedites U.S. customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers.
Travelers must apply for Global Entry and pay a fee of $120 for a five-year membership.
TSA PreCheck remains operational at most U.S. airports, although lanes are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Airlines for America projects 171 million travelers will fly between March 1st and April 30th, 2026, a 4% increase from 2025.
On average, airlines expect to carry about 2.8 million passengers per day during this period.
Unscheduled absences among airport security officers have more than doubled during the shutdown.
WHERE:
The Global Entry program is utilized at U.S. airports and other ports of entry.
WHEN:
The partial government shutdown began on February 14th, 2026.
Global Entry was initially suspended on February 22nd, 2026.
The Global Entry program was reactivated on March 11th, 2026.
WHY:
Democrats are demanding changes to DHS operations following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.
The shutdown occurred due to a failure to reach a funding deal between Democrats and the White House regarding DHS operations.
Democrats are seeking changes to immigration operations central to Trump’s deportation campaign.
HOW:
The shutdown has affected the TSA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, and other agencies within DHS, impacting about 13% of the total federal civilian workforce.
DHS reassigned CBP workers from Global Entry to process other arriving travelers during the shutdown.
The decision to reactivate Global Entry followed outreach from the travel industry to Congress and administration officials.
(UPDATED March 11, 2026 23:05 UTC)
Travelers at some U.S. airports are experiencing significant delays, with wait times reaching up to 3.5 hours due to officer shortages amid the ongoing government shutdown, which has seen over 300 TSA employees leave their positions. Colleen Kelly, a travel expert, shared tips for navigating this chaos, while Chris Sununu, CEO of Airlines for America, called on Congress to swiftly resolve the situation, emphasizing the importance of America's transportation security workforce. The shutdown is affecting multiple agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, including the TSA and FEMA, and is tied to demands from Democrats for changes in DHS operations following recent tragic incidents involving federal immigration agents.
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(UPDATED March 11, 2026 17:17 UTC)
Today, the Department of Homeland Security has reactivated the Global Entry program, which expedites customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers, effective at 5 a.m. ET. Travelers interested in the program will need to apply and pay a fee of $120 for a five-year membership, while TSA PreCheck continues to operate at most U.S. airports, albeit with some lanes evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This decision comes after a partial government shutdown that began on February 14, which had led to the suspension of Global Entry on February 22, and follows significant outreach from the travel industry to Congress and administration officials.