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4. SPRING BREAK UNDER SIEGE: Democrats’ Reckless DHS Shutdown is Forcing TSA Officers to Work Without Pay and Holding American Travelers Hostage

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SPRING BREAK UNDER SIEGE: Democrats’ Reckless DHS Shutdown is Forcing TSA Officers to Work Without Pay and Holding American Travelers Hostage

Release Date: March 17, 2026
Just a few months after they orchestrated the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Democrats are once again hurting the hardworking men and women of the Department of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON –– Due to the Democrat-led shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) and other Transportation Security Administration (TSA) roles critical to national safety at our nation’s airports are going without pay for the third time in nearly six months.

The undue financial pressure has resulted in increased callouts and agents leaving the force, leading Americans to face at some airports more than three-hour security lines and miss flights. Despite this impact on American travelers, Democrats continue to recklessly keep DHS shut down.

“The Democrats’ reckless DHS shutdown is causing TSA officers to go without pay for the *third time in nearly six months,”* said **Lauren Bis, Acting Assistant Secretary. “These political stunts are causing unneeded financial hardship for our TSA officers and their families. Now, 366 TSA officers have left the force. Because of this DHS shutdown, Americans are facing HOURS long waits at airports across the country. Democrats must reopen DHS now.”

These headlines only paint a small picture of the extreme impact the shutdown has on American travelers, TSOs, and national security:

• On Sunday, March 15 and Monday, March 16, callouts spiked over 50% in Houston and over 30% in New Orleans and Atlanta, resulting in fewer officers screening an ever-growing number of travelers.
• Callout rates have spiked nationwide, with the highest single-day airport callout rate reaching 55% at Houston Hobby International Airport (HOU) on March 14, 2026.
• Attrition has also surged, with 366 TSOs leaving the force. This loss compounds TSA’s ability to meet passenger demand, as each new TSO replacement requires 4-6 months to be trained and certified, leaving critical gaps in staffing. Democrats continue to play political games with the livelihoods of our TSA officers and their families. It’s time for them to end their shutdown and pay our TSA agents. TSA funding must be restored immediately.

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  Last Updated: 03/17/2026 Was this page helpful? Yes No This page was not helpful because the content has too little information has too much information is confusing is out-of-date
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