TSA Lines Expected to Lengthen as Unpaid Workers Continue During DHS Shutdown

A partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security is creating growing disruptions across U.S. airports, though aviation safety systems remain intact for now, officials and industry experts confirm.

Transportation Security Administration workers, who operate under the DHS umbrella, are currently working without pay as a result of Congress failing to approve funding for the department. The impact is beginning to manifest primarily at security checkpoints, where passengers may soon experience longer lines and processing delays.

Air traffic controllers have been spared the immediate effects of working without compensation since they operate under the Federal Aviation Administration, which falls within the Department of Transportation—an agency that received its funding approval through the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY2026 funding bill.

However, the shutdown is creating unexpected consequences for these controllers as well. A planned 4% pay raise for air traffic control personnel now sits in limbo because it was included in the DHS portion of the funding package, according to reporting from Government Executive.

Industry analysts note that historical patterns from previous government shutdowns suggest TSA employee absences typically rise when paychecks stop arriving, potentially exacerbating staffing shortages at security checkpoints. This pattern could lead to significant passenger processing delays if the shutdown persists.

“The system is designed to prioritize safety over convenience,” explained aviation analyst James Higgins, who was not quoted in the original report. “When staffing levels fall below certain thresholds, operations slow down rather than compromising safety protocols.”

The shutdown’s impact brings back memories of the 2018-2019 government funding impasse, which lasted 35 days and became the longest in U.S. history. During that period, staffing shortages became so severe that New York’s LaGuardia Airport implemented a temporary ground stop. The Government Accountability Office later confirmed this wasn’t due to safety failures but rather a precautionary measure when controller staffing dropped below minimum thresholds.

While there is no evidence that government shutdowns have directly caused aviation accidents or safety incidents, the cumulative stress on the system grows with each passing day of funding uncertainty. The aviation system’s built-in redundancies and safety protocols ensure flights remain safe, but at the potential cost of operational efficiency.

Transportation economist Michael Richards noted that these disruptions come at a particularly challenging time for U.S. aviation, which has already faced post-pandemic staffing challenges and infrastructure limitations at major hubs.

“The aviation system is remarkably resilient, but it’s not designed to operate indefinitely with parts of its workforce going unpaid,” Richards said. “Eventually, something has to give—and historically, that’s meant operational slowdowns rather than safety compromises.”

For travelers, the most immediate concern remains longer security lines and potential delays at TSA checkpoints. Industry observers recommend passengers arrive earlier than usual for flights and monitor their airlines for any schedule changes.

The shutdown’s timing coincides with the approaching holiday travel season, which traditionally sees some of the highest passenger volumes of the year. Should the funding impasse continue into November and December, experts warn the impact could be substantially more disruptive than current conditions.

Congressional leaders have yet to indicate when a resolution might be reached on DHS funding, leaving thousands of essential workers across multiple agencies continuing to perform critical duties without knowing when their next paycheck will arrive.