President Trump’s order for the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA agents took effect Monday, though it might be a few days before security lines return to normal. ICE agents were sent to airports to ease some of the pressure, with many handling security lines, which greatly cut down the long wait times seen at Atlanta, Austin, and other airports. With paychecks arriving, agents are expected to return. They received two paychecks yesterday, although some administrative hurdles might delay payments for some (via NY Post):
TSA Union President tells MSNow that "the good majority of officers will return to work" after President Trump ensured they got PAID.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 30, 2026
"It will significantly bring down the wait times." pic.twitter.com/JwzvKoVOWP
Most Transportation Security Administration employees received back pay on Monday from the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, but it may be a while before airport security lines return to normal.
DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis confirmed Monday that TSA workers have received at least two missed paychecks as the shutdown hit a record-breaking 44th day.
“A small population might see a slight delay due to a variety of reasons, including financial institution processing times or issues with their direct deposit,” Bis added.
“We are working aggressively with USDA’s National Finance Center to complete processing for the half paycheck they are owed from pay period 3 as soon as possible.”
According to DHS, more than 500 TSA agents working without pay during the more than 40-day shutdown ended up quitting. Thousands more called out of work.
Yes, Trump’s order and ICE’s deployment are good stopgaps, but Congress needs to reopen this agency. Unfortunately, they decided to take two weeks off, not reconvening officially until April 13.
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