TSA screeners at U.S. airports are continuing to perform security duties without pay as a DHS partial shutdown unfolds, raising questions about wait times, flight connections, and how airports manage security under funding uncertainty. For many trips, the flight will still depart on time. Your biggest variable is the security checkpoint.
What you’ll need before you head to the airport
- Your airline’s latest check-in and baggage-cutoff times (from the airline’s website or app)
- A plan for extra time at security checkpoints
- A backup option if you miss a connection (later flight, alternate routing, or same-day change rules)
1) Overview: what the DHS partial shutdown means at TSA checkpoints
A DHS partial shutdown happens when Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding lapses because Congress has not passed appropriations that cover the department. DHS then shifts to its shutdown plan. Some staff keep working as essential workers. Others are furloughed and sent home without pay.
TSA screening at US airports generally continues in a shutdown because passenger screening is treated as a core security function. The operational catch is pay. Many TSA screeners keep staffing security checkpoints, but they do so without pay until funding is restored and back pay is processed.
Less flexibility is the first place you can feel it. When staffing is tight, airports may consolidate lanes, pause some secondary tasks, or run lean during off-peak hours. A normal day can still look normal. A strained day can swing fast.
⚠️ Be aware that while TSA screening continues, the pace and reliability may vary by airport and time of day due to funding uncertainty and staffing pressures.
Look for variability, not a uniform nationwide slowdown. One terminal might move fine while another backs up. Connection risk rises most for short layovers that depend on fast screening.
2) Official statements and how to read them as a traveler
Public messaging during a shutdown can sound reassuring while also warning about stress points. Four statements help explain what to expect.
TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill has emphasized mission continuity while flagging strain. In remarks dated February 11, 2026, she warned that funding instability creates “significant challenges” for delivering security at the standard TSA expects. The key travel takeaway: screening will keep going, but the system has less cushion.
OMB Director Russell Vought directed DHS to carry out “orderly shutdown” procedures in a memo dated February 13, 2026. That phrase signals process: essential designations stay on post, furloughs expand, and agencies limit work to what is permitted during a lapse.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaking February 14, 2026, framed the lapse as driven by partisan conflict and stressed support for law enforcement. For travelers, that usually means leadership is prioritizing continuity for frontline functions, even if pay is disrupted.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, on February 12, 2026, tied funding to enforcement reforms, arguing against what he described as agents operating without warrants and with masks. That matters because it points to the bargaining issue that could extend the shutdown beyond a few days.
✅ What affected travelers should do now: monitor TSA updates, plan for potential longer lines, arrive earlier at the airport when possible, and check airline guidance for contingency options.
3) Key facts, staffing numbers, and what they imply at airports
DHS is a very large department, with 270,000+ DHS employees. During this shutdown, most are classified as essential workers, which keeps core security and enforcement functions running. At the same time, a sizable group is furloughed, which reduces support capacity.
TSA’s workforce is about 61,000, and roughly 95% are expected to keep working. Across DHS more broadly, about 91% to 95% are working as essential workers without pay, while 20,000 to 23,000 are furloughed.
Two things can be true at once:
- Security checkpoints stay open because screening is essential.
- Throughput becomes less predictable because staffing stress grows over time.
Congress’s calendar matters because it sets the earliest realistic window for a vote. Lawmakers are not scheduled to return for votes until February 23, 2026. That date is a planning marker for airlines, airports, and travelers booking trips during the next week.
Table 1: Essential vs. furloughed DHS staff (snapshot)
| Category | Status | Headcount / Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Homeland Security (DHS) workforce | Essential workers (working without pay) | 91% to 95% of 270,000+ DHS employees | Core operations continue under shutdown rules |
| DHS workforce | Furloughed (unpaid) | 20,000 to 23,000 | Reduced support and administrative capacity |
| Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workforce | Essential workers (working without pay) | 95% of 61,000 | TSA screeners continue staffing security checkpoints |
Table 2: Operational impact snapshot for travelers
| Impact Area | What It Means for Travelers | Airport Variability |
|---|---|---|
| Security checkpoint wait times | Longer lines are possible, especially at peaks | High; depends on staffing levels and departure banks |
| Checkpoint lane availability | Fewer open lanes or consolidated screening lanes | Medium to high; depends on local staffing and layout |
| Missed connections | Greater risk for tight domestic connections | Higher at hubs and during morning/late-afternoon peaks |
| Customer service recovery | Airline rebooking lines may grow if many miss flights | Varies by airline staffing and airport disruption level |
| Overall flight operations | Flights can run normally even if screening slows | Varies; screening is separate from aircraft dispatch |
One more twist shapes this shutdown: the funding “carve-outs.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remain funded and fully operational under a prior framework, even while other DHS functions face shutdown constraints. So border and enforcement activity can continue while TSA screeners face a pay lapse.
4) Context: why the shutdown fight is centered on enforcement guardrails
Politics is driving the duration risk. The current stalemate centers on proposed immigration-enforcement guardrails and oversight terms tied to DHS funding.
Pressure intensified after January 2026 events in Minneapolis, where two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, died during federal immigration raids. Lawmakers then pushed for tighter operational rules for federal agents.
Key guardrail demands in the debate include:
- Mandatory body cameras and clear identification for agents
- Limits on masks during operations
- Judicial warrant standards for entry onto private property
For travelers, the relevance is indirect but real. If those provisions remain the barrier to a deal, the shutdown can drag on. That extends the period when TSA screeners work without pay, which can increase attrition pressure and raise the odds of lane reductions.
5) Impact on individuals: TSA personnel, travelers, airlines, and DHS partners
TSA personnel feel the pain first. Working without pay can lead to missed bills, commuting problems, and stress at home. Over time, that can increase “call-outs” and “sick-outs,” leaving fewer TSA agents on the checkpoint line. A smaller team slows screening even when every officer is trying.
Air travelers and airlines then absorb the delay. Expect these patterns when staffing tightens:
- Longer lines at security checkpoints, especially early mornings and before evening departures
- Lane consolidation that creates stop-and-go surges
- Higher odds of missed connections when your itinerary leaves little margin
Keep one point clear: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control is separate from TSA screening. If the Department of Transportation remains funded, controllers may continue to receive pay. Screening delays can still cause missed flights even when the airspace system runs normally.
Airports and communities can see secondary effects too. FEMA disaster response continues, but longer-term planning, training, and reimbursements can slow during a shutdown. That can affect local partners waiting on federal coordination or funds.
Immigration-adjacent services are mixed. CBP inspections at ports of entry continue, and enforcement missions can remain active. USCIS is fee-funded in many areas, which can insulate many case-processing functions. Still, indirect friction can show up when work depends on other agencies or support services that are constrained.
For USCIS account tools and case status, you can use (https://my.uscis.gov) or USCIS case status.
6) Official government sources and references to check during the shutdown
Use primary government documents to verify operational posture changes and worker status. Focus on a few items.
- OMB operational-status memoranda on DHS operations (including essential designations and orderly shutdown instructions). The memo label cited during this shutdown is White House Memorandum M-26-08 (Status of DHS Operations).
- DHS contingency planning materials, which outline component-by-component continuity steps and furlough rules.
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA) public updates, including public statements and testimony that address checkpoint operations and workforce impacts.
Treat February 23, 2026 as your near-term decision date for planning. If you must fly before then, build extra time into your airport arrival and pick flights with wider connection windows. That is the simplest way to reduce shutdown-related risk at security checkpoints.
TSA Agents Work Without Pay at US Airports During Shutdown
The partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown forces TSA screeners to work without pay, impacting airport efficiency. While core security remains active, reduced administrative support and staffing stress may lead to longer queues and lane closures. The political stalemate over enforcement guardrails suggests the shutdown will persist until at least February 23, 2026. Travelers must build extra time into their schedules to mitigate screening delays.
