Hundreds of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have resigned during a partial government shutdown that first started in February 2026.
According to the Associated Press, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which oversees TSA operations said that around 458 officers had quit since February 14, 2026.
TSA employees have gone weeks without pay after DHS funding fell through in a dispute between Democrats and Republicans in Congress over immigration enforcement.
Political wranglings between both sides continue in the hope of finding a solution to ensure TSA staff do not miss another paycheck.
On March 23, 2026, just over 10% of TSA workers failed to show up for work, leading to huge queues at many large airports.
🚨HOLY SMOKES!!!
The TSA lines in Houston TX have now stretched to a mind-blowing 3 HOURS LONG!!!!!
People are literally waiting in lines WRAPPED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPORT!!!!
THIS IS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/NOgPagsnVl
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) March 23, 2026
Controversially, US President Donald Trump has deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at several airports to help ease pressure on staff.
Unions representing TSA workers have criticized the ICE deployment as an “insult” and a “waste of money, according to The Hill.
In an email on March 24, 2026, seen by the Associated Press, the newly sworn-in DHS Secretary Markwayne Mulli told staff that reopening the department was a “No. 1 priority”.
In a press release, TSA congratulated Mullin as its new Secretary of Homeland Security.
“Despite the enormous challenges our workforce has faced over the past six months, the men and women of TSA still work every day to ensure travelers reach their destinations with all the security and efficiency we can provide,” said a TSA spokesperson.