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TSA Officer Quits Job Amid Partial Government Shutdown
Father of 3 felt forced to leave role as shutdown continues with no end in sight
Mar. 12, 2026 at 3:19pm
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A father of three, Robert Echeverria, has quit his job as a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer at Salt Lake City International Airport after 9 years, citing the ongoing partial government shutdown and inability to support his family without a paycheck. Echeverria is one of over 300 TSA officers who have quit since the shutdown began, as the workers are among the lowest paid in the federal government, averaging $45,000-$55,000 per year.
Why it matters
The partial government shutdown has had a significant impact on TSA staffing, with sick calls more than doubling and airports across the country facing longer security lines and even temporary closures of checkpoints due to staffing issues. This raises concerns about potential vulnerabilities in airport security as fewer TSA officers are showing up for work.
The details
Echeverria said he made the difficult decision to quit after seeing the struggle his wife was going through, unable to feed their family without his paycheck. TSA officers are now set to miss their first full paycheck this week as the shutdown continues with no end in sight. Food pantries have opened up at airports to support the TSA employees working without pay.
- The partial government shutdown began nearly a month ago.
- On Sunday, wait times at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport topped 3 hours after more than half of TSA officers called out.
- On Thursday, Philadelphia International Airport temporarily closed one security checkpoint due to TSA staffing issues.
The players
Robert Echeverria
A father of three who worked as a TSA officer at Salt Lake City International Airport for 9 years before quitting due to the partial government shutdown.
John Pistole
Former TSA Administrator who expressed concerns about the "perceived vulnerability" of airport security due to fewer TSA officers showing up for work.
What they’re saying
“I love the agency. I love the people that I worked with. But it just, my family has to come first.”
— Robert Echeverria, Former TSA Officer (CBS News)
“It does concern me about the possibilities of operatives, bad guys who are wanting to try to exploit a perceived vulnerability because there's not as many people at TSA showing up for work.”
— John Pistole, Former TSA Administrator (CBS News)
What’s next
The Senate is expected to vote again on Thursday on a measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security and potentially end the partial government shutdown.
The takeaway
The partial government shutdown has had a significant impact on the TSA workforce, with hundreds of officers quitting their jobs due to the inability to support their families without paychecks. This raises serious concerns about airport security vulnerabilities as fewer TSA officers are available to staff checkpoints, potentially putting travelers at risk.
