Despite President Donald Trump’s directive to provide emergency pay to Transportation Security Administration agents to mitigate long security lines, major U.S. airports continued to advise travelers on Sunday to arrive several hours early. Additionally, federal immigration officers brought in to assist may remain on duty for an extended period.
Trump’s executive order signed on Friday instructed the Department of Homeland Security to promptly pay TSA workers. However, the timeline for travelers to notice any changes remains uncertain. This decision coincides with a peak travel period, as spring breaks are in progress, and Passover and Easter are nearing.
Since DHS funding ceased on Valentine’s Day, tens of thousands of TSA employees have been working without pay. As of Sunday, the department’s shutdown had reached 44 days, surpassing the record 43-day shutdown from last fall that impacted the entire federal government.
Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to certain airports a week ago to bolster security as TSA callouts increased nationwide. These agents may remain in their roles if staffing challenges persist.
When will ICE’s deployment at airports end?
White House border czar Tom Homan, speaking on Sunday morning news programs, mentioned that the duration of ICE’s presence depends on the number of TSA employees returning to work after receiving their pay.
“ICE is there to help our brothers and sisters in TSA. We’ll be there as long as they need us, until they get back to normal operations and feel like those airports are secure,” he told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Homan added that it also hinges on how many TSA agents “have actually quit and have no plan on coming back to work.” According to DHS, nearly 500 TSA officers have departed the agency since the shutdown began.
On Saturday night, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced via a post on X that additional ICE agents were being sent to Baltimore-Washington International Airport to assist at TSA security checkpoints, focusing on expediting passenger clearance, not immigration enforcement.
When will TSA officers get paid?
Homan expressed in his CNN interview that he anticipates TSA officers to be paid by Monday or Tuesday.
“It’s good news because these TSA officers are struggling,” Homan said. “They can’t feed their families or pay their rent.”
Charlotte Douglas International Airport also noted on Sunday via a post on X that backpay for TSA agents could commence on Monday.
“While this action provides critical relief, CLT supports long-term solutions to ensure continued stability for this essential workforce,” the airport said.
Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees’ TSA chapter, mentioned on Sunday that employees are concerned they may not receive full back pay due to the short notice given to TSA management for processing payments. He also noted that agents worry about missing pay for periods they couldn’t work due to financial constraints preventing them from reporting for duty.
“It is a disaster in progress,” Jones said.
What’s the current situation on the ground?
Major U.S. airports continue to urge travelers to plan ahead to navigate security lines efficiently.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston warned on Sunday evening that TSA wait times might extend to four hours or more. Similarly, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport advised passengers to arrive at least four hours early for both domestic and international flights.
LaGuardia Airport issued a Sunday evening alert on its website stating that “TSA lines are currently longer than usual.”
Baltimore-Washington International Airport commented on X that “wait times have greatly subsided on this Spring Break Sunday,” yet still recommended passengers arrive several hours early. Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans offered similar advice.
Additionally, on Sunday, travelers could once again view estimated security wait times at the three main airports serving the New York City area — LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, and Newark Liberty.
These airports had previously removed the feature from their websites due to “rapid” changes in passenger volumes and TSA staffing. They also warned that the estimated wait times might not always accurately “reflect current conditions.”
How soon will this help with airport delays?
Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer who runs a travel newsletter called Gate Access, noted that the staffing crisis will not significantly improve until officers feel assured they will not miss further paychecks.
“It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there,” he said, predicting prolonged lines could continue for another week or two.
Jones, the TSA union leader, was more optimistic on Sunday, expressing hope that passengers could experience more typical wait times as workers manage to cover essential costs like gas to commute.
TSA will also need to determine whether to reopen checkpoints and security lanes that were closed or merged at some airports due to staffing shortages, which have resulted in passengers enduring long waits in screening lines that overflowed into check-in areas or arriving far too early for their flights.
In recent weeks, a few airports have experienced daily TSA officer call-out rates reaching 40% or higher.
Sedensky reported from New York, Yamat from Las Vegas, and Raby from Charleston, West Virginia. Associated Press journalist Julie Walker contributed from New York.
