Airport waits easing as TSA says its officers got paid

Airport Security Lines Ease as TSA Officers Receive Backpay After Shutdown

Security lines at U.S. airports significantly improved Monday as Transportation Security Administration officers began receiving backpay for working during the recent government shutdown. Checkpoint delays that had stretched to as long as four hours at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport were reduced to 10 minutes or less, while other previous trouble spots like Atlanta and Baltimore-Washington International Airport reported smooth passenger processing.

The improvements bring relief to an aviation system that had descended into chaos in recent weeks, with travelers facing extended wait times and missed flights. The crisis began when Department of Homeland Security funding lapsed in February, forcing TSA employees to work without pay.

According to Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the TSA chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees, workers received partial backpay on Monday, with the remainder expected by next week. Some employees reported discrepancies in their payments, including missing overtime compensation.

Despite the welcome paychecks, many TSA officers are still facing significant financial hardships. Jones, who also works as a TSA agent at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, described how one colleague’s account was already “back to zero” after covering car payments, housing costs, and accumulated late fees.

“None of my colleagues feel like they’ve been made whole,” Jones said. “Their finances are destroyed.”

The shutdown’s impacts extended beyond passenger inconvenience. According to acting TSA Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis, more than 500 officers left the agency during the funding lapse, and thousands more were forced to call out from work. The financial strain made it impossible for many workers to afford transportation or childcare necessary to report for their shifts.

Further complicating matters, the union reported that TSA updated its furlough policy on Sunday, removing provisions that had allowed officers to request authorized absences for shutdown-related hardships. The union expressed concern that those who couldn’t afford to report for duty now face potential disciplinary action.

“Backpay alone does not fix those problems,” the union stated in a press release.

The DHS shutdown affected several other critical agencies, including the Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funding crisis stemmed from a political impasse between the White House and congressional Democrats over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers immediately to address the airport bottlenecks. However, this action left other DHS employees still working without compensation.

The core dispute involves Democratic demands for reforms to immigration enforcement practices. Democrats have insisted that any new funding for ICE must include requirements that agents wear body cameras, identify themselves properly, operate without masks, and avoid conducting raids at sensitive locations like schools and churches. They also want judicial oversight of warrant issuance.

While Republicans and White House officials have shown willingness to negotiate on some points, the parties remain far from agreement. On Monday, the Senate held only a brief session without considering the House bill addressing the funding issue before resuming their two-week break.

The TSA workers’ union expressed strong frustration with elected officials’ handling of the situation. “To say we are utterly disgusted and disappointed with our elected officials is an understatement,” the organization said, urging Congress to approve full funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that President Trump has offered to host an Easter dinner for members of Congress who return to Washington to resolve the impasse. Regarding Democrats’ demands for changes to immigration enforcement, she stated, “There has not been a change in policy.”

The administration temporarily deployed ICE agents to some airports last week to supplement security operations. White House border czar Tom Homan indicated that these agents would remain in place depending on how quickly TSA staffing levels return to normal.

As the busy spring break travel season continues, passengers are hopeful that the worst of the airport disruptions are behind them, though the broader funding issues for the Department of Homeland Security remain unresolved.