- The Department of Homeland Security will run out of payroll funds for 50,000 TSA workers by May 2026.
- Emergency reserves from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have dwindled to under $1.4 billion recently.
- A prolonged shutdown has already caused over 838 TSA resignations and extreme airport security wait times.
(UNITED STATES) — The Department of Homeland Security warned on April 22, 2026, that it will run out of money to pay about 50,000 airport security workers by the first week of May, extending pressure on a screening system already strained by a partial government shutdown that has lasted more than two months.
DHS said the funding shortfall threatens payroll for Transportation Security Administration officers as the agency continues operating without routine appropriations. The lapse has also affected the Coast Guard and FEMA.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on April 21, 2026, that the department had reached the edge of what it could cover with emergency money. “That money is dried up if I continue down this path the first week of May, because my payroll at DHS is just over $1.6 billion every two weeks. There is no more emergency fund, so the president can’t do another executive order for us to use money, because there’s no more money there.”
Mullin had already warned employees on April 4, 2026, after a presidential memorandum tapped emergency reserves to keep parts of the department running. “My fight to get the department fully reopened is not over. It remains my number one priority. We need Congress to come together and pass a bill.”
The shutdown began after a budget impasse over DHS funding. Senate Democrats sought operational constraints on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol, including judicial warrants for certain enforcement actions, while Republicans and the Trump administration rejected those conditions.
That standoff left routine appropriations lapsed for agencies tied directly to transportation security and emergency response. TSA has remained on the job while payroll support has depended on temporary measures.
DHS needs about $1.6 billion every two weeks to cover total payroll. The emergency money came from a $10 billion reserve established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and as of April 19, 2026, less than $1.4 billion remained.
That math has sharpened the department’s warning. With less than a full payroll cycle left in reserve, the department has told employees and lawmakers that Congress must act to reopen the agency fully.
The strain is already visible in the workforce. Since mid-February 2026, more than 838 TSA officers have resigned as repeated pay disruptions hit a workforce that staffs checkpoints and baggage screening at airports nationwide.
Absenteeism also rose in March. Nationwide call-out rates reached 11%, and Houston Hobby International Airport recorded spikes as high as 55%.
TSA officers now face a third period of non-payment in six months. Employees have reported financial hardship, including trouble paying rent and losing childcare.
Air travelers have already felt the effect. Security lines at major U.S. airports reached record lengths in March, and some wait times exceeded four hours.
DHS has warned those delays could return by early May if payroll is not met. That prospect comes as staffing losses collide with spring and early summer travel demand, leaving fewer officers to manage screening lanes, baggage checks and airport access points.
Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told lawmakers on April 16, 2026, that the shutdown was also hurting planning for major events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “TSA does not have the luxury of time” to hire and train the necessary staff, McNeill said.
The warning extends beyond passenger inconvenience. TSA’s checkpoint workforce forms the front line of U.S. aviation security, and continued attrition means the agency would need to replace experienced officers while trying to sustain daily operations under a funding lapse.
DHS has directed employees and the public to updates through the DHS Newsroom, while TSA has continued posting notices through its press releases page. Department workers have also been referred to DHS employee resources as the funding crisis deepens.
Mullin’s message this week was blunt: the department has exhausted the room it had to maneuver, and the remaining balance cannot support payroll much longer. Unless Congress breaks the impasse, tens of thousands of airport security workers will reach the first week of May without the money DHS says it needs to pay them.
