More than 100,000 Department of Homeland Security employees received zero pay on Friday as the partial government shutdown entered its second month with no resolution in sight. The missed paycheck, the first full pay period without funding since the shutdown began on February 14, is hitting TSA officers hardest just as spring break travel pushes airport volumes to their annual peak.
The Transportation Security Administration employs roughly 45,000 officers across the country, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck. With no money arriving on March 14, a growing number of agents have called out sick or taken second jobs to cover their bills. At least 300 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began, adding to more than 1,000 who resigned during a previous funding lapse in October and November 2025.
Hours-Long Airport Security Lines Are Becoming the Norm
The staffing shortage has turned security checkpoints into bottlenecks at airports nationwide. Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport has reported wait times exceeding three hours on multiple days this week. New Orleans, Atlanta, and Austin have all warned travelers to arrive four to five hours before their flights. Airlines and hotel operators say the disruption is already damaging spring break bookings and business travel plans that many entrepreneurs depend on for client meetings, conferences, and deal closings.
“They’re panicking, they’re scared, they’re afraid,” Johnny Jones, a TSA officer, told NPR. The agency’s former administrator, John Pistole, said the situation is unsustainable because officers “have bills to pay” and cannot work indefinitely without compensation.
Political Standoff Shows No Signs of Breaking
The shutdown stems from a standoff between Republicans and Democrats over immigration enforcement policy. Senate Democrats have refused to approve the DHS budget unless the White House agrees to operational changes for immigration officers following the fatal shooting of two American citizens in Minneapolis. Senate Democrats have introduced standalone bills to fund TSA and other DHS agencies separately, but Republicans have blocked those measures.
President Trump recently removed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and nominated Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement, but the leadership change has not accelerated negotiations. The White House has blamed Democrats for holding spring break travel “hostage for political points.”
Small Businesses Are Feeling the Pressure
The shutdown extends beyond airport security. The Small Business Administration has frozen new loan approvals and grant disbursements during the funding gap, cutting off capital that many founders rely on to launch or expand their businesses. FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are also operating with reduced staff, raising concerns about disaster response capacity and cyber defense at a time when business owners who travel frequently are already adjusting their schedules around airport delays.
Geoff Freeman, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said the shutdown “creates unpredictability in the system” that discourages both leisure and business travel. The travel industry generates roughly $3 trillion in annual economic activity across airlines, hotels, restaurants, and thousands of small businesses that serve travelers. Last fall’s shorter funding lapse cost an estimated $6 billion and disrupted travel for more than 6 million people, according to industry estimates.
Travelers continue to pay the $5.60 per-segment passenger security fee on every domestic flight, but those fees are not reaching the TSA workers who provide the screening. With no deal on the horizon and spring break travel peaking over the next two weeks, the pressure on airport operations, small businesses, and the broader travel economy is expected to intensify.
