TSA Workers Await Paychecks as Airport Woes Linger

Executive order aims to get TSA officers paid, but travel experts say long security lines could continue for weeks.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 12:51am

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Transportation Security Administration agents could start receiving their paychecks as early as Monday after President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the Homeland Security secretary to pay them immediately. However, travel experts and labor leaders said the long security lines at some U.S. airports would not disappear overnight and could linger into next week or longer as TSA workers wait for their back pay, airports assess their staffing, and Congress remains at odds over funding the Department of Homeland Security.

Why it matters

The partial government shutdown has caused significant disruptions at airports across the country, with some experiencing 40% TSA officer callout rates and hours-long wait times for passengers. This has raised concerns about the impact on air travel, especially with upcoming spring breaks and holidays when travel typically increases.

The details

TSA personnel have worked without pay since February 14th, when the Department of Homeland Security lapsed due to a dispute in Congress over federal immigration operations. As the shutdown continued, some officers called out of scheduled shifts, leading to long wait times and closed express lanes at airports in cities like Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, and New York. Trump signed the executive order after House Republicans rejected a bill that would have funded the TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA, but not ICE and Border Patrol.

  • TSA officers have worked without pay since February 14th.
  • Trump signed the executive order on Friday, March 27th.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who signed the executive order to pay TSA workers immediately.

Caleb Harmon-Marshall

A former TSA officer who runs a travel newsletter and says officers are struggling to pay bills and accumulate debt due to the lack of pay.

Johnny Jones

The secretary-treasurer of the TSA worker division of the American Federation of Government Employees union.

Ha Nguyen McNeill

The TSA Acting Administrator who told lawmakers that some officers who missed shifts in recent weeks might leave the agency, and that hiring new officers will be harder after the disruptions caused by the shutdown.

Sheldon Jacobson

An aviation security expert whose research contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, who says the 3- and 4-hour wait times seen at some airports were outliers.

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What they’re saying

“Until checks are actually in hands, we might still see some of these staffing issues. But (the executive order) is a bit of good news, I think, for both TSA officers as well as the flying public. And hopefully, the money starts flowing quickly and people can get back to work.”

— Eric Rosen, Director of travel content, The Points Guy

“Hopefully, with this executive order, the relief does come. I think that they just want to know how long, because if it's only for a pay period, that's not enough to bring them back. It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there.”

— Caleb Harmon-Marshall, Former TSA officer, travel newsletter publisher

“I guess the action is good for the president, but on the flip side, we have a lot of people that don't have anything, and I don't know if this is gonna fix it.”

— Johnny Jones, Secretary-treasurer, TSA worker division of the American Federation of Government Employees union

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.