TSA Officers Struggle Amid Partial Government Shutdown

Staffing shortages and financial hardship plague Baltimore-Washington airport security amid ongoing pay freeze

Mar. 25, 2026 at 2:10am

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Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has seen severe staffing shortages among TSA officers, leading to the closure of two security checkpoints on a recent Tuesday. Union leaders report that over 100 of the 140 scheduled TSA officers called out, citing mounting personal and financial stress from the partial government shutdown that has left them without paychecks for weeks.

Why it matters

The staffing issues at BWI-Marshall highlight the growing challenges facing TSA officers across the country who are being asked to work without pay during the partial government shutdown. This is putting a strain on airport security operations and raising concerns about public safety, as officers struggle with personal financial crises and the uncertainty of when they will receive their next paycheck.

The details

Sources say the staffing shortages at BWI-Marshall led officials to shut down two of the airport's three security checkpoints on a recent Tuesday, leaving only one open for passengers. Union leaders warned of a large volume of officers calling out, with over 100 of the 140 scheduled to work that day not showing up. Officers are dealing with mounting stress, personal financial issues like eviction notices and car repossessions, and mixed messages from management during the shutdown.

  • On a recent Tuesday, over 100 of the 140 scheduled TSA officers at BWI-Marshall called out, leading to the closure of two security checkpoints.
  • Friday will mark another payday where TSA officers receive no compensation for 80 hours of work.

The players

Lamar Cobb

BWI-Marshall's TSO union president.

Marvin Sponaugle

The union's vice president.

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What they’re saying

“It's bad. People are quitting. People are getting eviction notices.”

— Lamar Cobb, BWI-Marshall's TSO union president

“It's stressful, honestly. There's a lot of uncertainty, there's a lot of fear.”

— Marvin Sponaugle, The union's vice president

What’s next

Union leaders say if a deal is reached on Tuesday, it will be too late for TSA officers to receive their paychecks on Friday, leaving them with more than two weeks without compensation.

The takeaway

The staffing issues at BWI-Marshall underscore the growing personal and financial hardship facing TSA officers nationwide who are being asked to work without pay during the partial government shutdown, raising concerns about the strain on airport security operations and public safety.