President Trump orders DHS to pay TSA workers during shutdown
A TSA agent walks past travelers as they wait in line to enter security in Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy International Airport on March 27, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers will soon be getting paid.
On Friday, President Donald Trump issued an order directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to start paying the agency’s workers once again.
What we know:
The White House indicated TSA workers would also receive the backpay owed to them since their paychecks stopped amid the ongoing DHS shutdown.
Trump directed DHS to use funds "that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations" to resume compensation and benefits for TSA workers.
What we don't know:
How quickly the order will have an effect on the nation’s airports remains to be seen.
Lines at many of America’s busiest airports have grown increasingly long during the shutdown, with many fliers waiting for hours to get past the TSA checkpoints.
The presidential order noted that nearly 500 transportation workers have already quit over the lack of pay, while many more have called in sick at unprecedented rates because of the shutdown.
What they're saying:
"Security wait times at some airports have reached untenable lengths of three or more hours. These increased wait times, combined with declining morale among TSA staff, unacceptably heighten the risk of security vulnerabilities within our domestic travel system and has negatively impacted countless Americans," the White House statement explained.
What's next:
The order also directs that when regular TSA funding is restored, officials adjust their applicable funding accounts to ensure that DHSoperations pick up where they left off prior to the shutdown to maintain planned expenses.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from The Associated Press. This story was reported from San Jose and Orlando.