TSA Workers Struggle Amid Ongoing DHS Shutdown

Thousands of TSA agents working without pay as shutdown enters second month

Mar. 20, 2026 at 5:20pm

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The ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown is taking a heavy toll on the thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees at airports who have been working without pay. Many TSA officers are taking on extra jobs or even leaving the agency altogether to make ends meet, and veteran TSA leaders fear the stress and uncertainty could impact operations for years.

Why it matters

The shutdown is putting immense financial and emotional strain on TSA workers, who are critical to maintaining airport security and public safety. The loss of experienced TSA officers could have long-term impacts on the agency's operations and ability to effectively screen travelers.

The details

Approximately 60,000 TSA officers who have gone over a month with partial pay began receiving their first $0 paychecks last week. Many say they are living in fear, with some taking on extra jobs or even leaving the agency altogether to make ends meet. The current partial shutdown, now in its second month, comes close to last fall's 43-day federal government shutdown, which also paused payments to thousands of TSA workers.

  • The current partial shutdown began in January 2026.
  • The previous 43-day federal government shutdown occurred in the fall of 2025.

The players

Angela Grana

A TSA officer at Durango-La Plata County Airport in Colorado and the state's regional vice president for AFGE TSA Local 1127.

Jill DeJanovich

A TSA officer at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and single mom of four, who was one of the nearly 2,700 TSA workers who called out sick this week due to the demands of the shutdown.

Robert Echeverria

A lead TSA officer at Salt Lake City International Airport who left his job after the current shutdown, saying his family's life savings were depleted after the last shutdown and the emotional strain was too much.

Joseph Cerletti

A TSA officer at Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport who struggles to explain the financial issues to his kids now that his family has to depend solely on his wife's income.

Hakeem Jeffries

The House Minority Leader who called on Democrats Monday to join a discharge petition that would fund all DHS agencies except for ICE.

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What they’re saying

“The stories I get are very demoralizing. To go ahead and do the Uber Eats or any other kind of side job, we have to have extra permission. For now, we can't just do it.”

— Angela Grana, TSA officer and state regional vice president for AFGE TSA Local 1127

“Let me tell you, for us to be concentrating on our jobs without the hunger pains in our stomachs. It's really difficult to do. We can't get it wrong. We have to get it right every time. We cannot miss a bag, we cannot miss a threat.”

— Angela Grana, TSA officer and state regional vice president for AFGE TSA Local 1127

“Emotionally, we couldn't go through that strain anymore. It was just really hard for my wife and emotionally to see my kids going through a hard time asking for things, and we wouldn't be able to actually help them out.”

— Robert Echeverria

“Losing seasoned employees is very difficult to replace. New hires take two years to get off probation.”

— Anonymous TSA worker

“This is just what I've been describing lately as figuratively an uphill gunfight.”

— Joseph Cerletti, TSA officer at Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport

What’s next

Senate Democrats have vowed to block funding for DHS until reforms are made to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal law enforcement. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called on Democrats Monday to join a discharge petition that would fund all DHS agencies except for ICE.

The takeaway

The ongoing DHS shutdown is putting immense financial and emotional strain on TSA workers, who are critical to maintaining airport security and public safety. The loss of experienced TSA officers could have long-term impacts on the agency's operations, and the shutdown is exacerbating existing staffing challenges. This situation highlights the need for Congress to find a resolution that supports federal workers and ensures the continued effectiveness of the TSA.