TSA Officers Receive First Paychecks After Weeks Without Pay

Partial payments come after President Trump orders funds to be used to pay TSA workforce.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:18am

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A photorealistic painting of a single TSA officer standing alone in an empty airport security checkpoint, the space filled with warm, dramatic lighting and deep shadows, conveying a sense of isolation and hardship.As the partial government shutdown dragged on, TSA officers faced mounting financial pressures, with some forced to take desperate measures to support their families.Duluth Today

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers received their first paychecks in over a month on Monday, after being required to work during the partial government shutdown without pay. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA, said most employees will receive at least two full paychecks for the past two pay periods, though some may experience slight delays.

Why it matters

The partial shutdown left many TSA officers struggling to make ends meet, with some having to take second jobs or pull their children out of daycare. The delayed paychecks highlighted the hardship faced by federal workers during the shutdown.

The details

President Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Friday asking the Department of Homeland Security to use funds 'that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations' to pay the agency's workforce. The TSA employees will be paid through funds allocated by Trump's domestic policy bill signed last summer. However, some officers reported receiving only partial paychecks with ample deductions.

  • The partial government shutdown began on February 14 and lasted 45 days.
  • TSA officers received their first paychecks in over a month on Monday, March 31, 2026.

The players

Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

President Donald Trump

Signed a presidential memorandum on Friday ordering funds to be used to pay the TSA workforce.

Yolanda Keaton

A TSA officer at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and a steward for AFGE Local 554.

Paul Uecker

A TSA officer at Duluth International Airport and Vice President of Greater Minnesota American Federation of Government Employees Local 899.

Oksana Kelly

A TSA officer at Orlando International Airport and mother of two.

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What they’re saying

“It was a partial pay with ample deductions taken out along with taxes. We did not receive all of our backpay ... A lot of officers paychecks are very very short and not everyone received their pay today.”

— Yolanda Keaton, TSA officer

“I know of at least one officer at MSP (Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport) who quit because they were having eviction processes started against them. They needed to find a way to get some money so that they could hopefully avoid that.”

— Paul Uecker, TSA officer

“I feel like they're playing with our lives. We all have children. We all have parents that, you know, people [to] take care of. It's not just some random officers. It's real people.”

— Oksana Kelly, TSA officer

What’s next

It remains unclear if TSA employees will receive any pay going forward, as Congress is currently on a two-week spring recess and will not return for a vote until April 13.

The takeaway

The delayed paychecks for TSA officers during the partial government shutdown highlighted the real hardship faced by federal workers, with some having to take on second jobs or make difficult financial decisions just to make ends meet.