Trending Now - TSA Agents Face Unpaid Work Amid Shutdown, Causing Disruptions

WHO:

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees

CEOs of major airlines including American, Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue

TSA agents and workers

WHAT:

A 30-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown is ongoing.

Rep. Nick Langworthy introduced a bill to create a Transportation Security Trust Fund to ensure TSA workers are paid during shutdowns.

TSA agents missed their first full paychecks during the shutdown.

More than 300 TSA agents have quit due to the shutdown.

Wait times at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport reached nearly two hours.

The callout rate for unscheduled absences by TSA officers increased to an average of 6% during the shutdown.

TSA reported that 99% of passengers waited less than 30 minutes at security checkpoints in 2024.

WHERE:

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia

George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Texas

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Louisiana

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota

Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Illinois

Pocatello Regional Airport, Idaho

Denver International Airport, Colorado

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington

Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada

WHEN:

The partial government shutdown began in mid-February 2026.

Rep. Nick Langworthy introduced his bill on March 16th, 2026.

TSA agents missed their first full paycheck during the shutdown on March 12th, 2026.

More than 670 flights were canceled at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport on March 12th, 2026.

More than 1,200 flights were canceled at O’Hare and Chicago Midway International Airport on March 12th, 2026.

WHY:

The shutdown is due to a funding stalemate between Republicans and Democrats over federal immigration reform.

TSA agents are quitting and calling out sick due to not receiving pay during the shutdown.

HOW:

The Transportation Security Trust Fund would be funded by the Aviation Passenger Security Fee, which is $5.60 for a one-way trip and up to $11.20 for a round-trip.

Major airlines urged Congress to restore DHS funding and ensure federal aviation workers are paid during shutdowns.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 21:12 UTC)

A partial government shutdown is currently affecting the Department of Homeland Security, which began in mid-February, and has led to TSA agents missing their first full paychecks last Monday. In response, Representative Nick Langworthy introduced a bill today aimed at creating a Transportation Security Trust Fund to ensure TSA workers are compensated during such shutdowns, as more than 300 agents have already quit due to the lack of pay. Meanwhile, wait times at major airports like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta and George Bush Intercontinental have surged to nearly two hours, prompting airlines to urge Congress to restore funding and secure payments for federal aviation workers.