- More than 1,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers have resigned since the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding lapse began over two months ago, according to the agency.
- This significant loss of staff has severely hampered TSA's capacity to manage passenger demand and created critical staffing shortages, with new recruits requiring 4-6 months of training, making them unavailable for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
- The DHS shutdown, which started in mid-February due to a failure by lawmakers to agree on funding, initially forced TSA employees to work without pay, leading to widespread long lines and delays at airport security checkpoints.
- A president directed DHS to use funds from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” spending package to pay staff, but Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that this funding could be depleted by the first week of May, potentially causing a return of severe airport delays.
- TSA officials anticipate a substantial increase in passenger volume for the FIFA World Cup, and even if the shutdown ends, newly hired officers would not be operational until well after the event, exacerbating the impact on travelers and highlighting the financial strain on employees who often live paycheck to paycheck.
IN FULL
