As the lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security drags on, TSA officers are continuing to quit their jobs in droves.
More than 1,110 officers and counting have left their jobs since the partial government shutdown began on February 14, according to a new report from Politico.
The dramatic shift in staffing numbers is causing concern as major events in the US like the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary approach in June and July.
Adding to the complications is the fact that replacing frontline officers who quit is not something that can happen instantly. It takes four to six months to train TSA workers to perform “regular airport duties,” an agency spokesperson told Politico. As of March 2026, there were a total of about 50,000 TSA officers in the U.S.
When the shutdown began, TSA officers were asked to work without pay, causing long lines at airports across the nation as unpaid security workers called out sick in higher numbers. Although the lapse in DHS funding hasn’t been solved, the White House dipped into its budget to pay TSA workers starting on March 27.
That money, however, is slated to run out this week, putting security officers’ paychecks at risk once again if Congress can’t pass a funding bill.
Experts across the travel industry are advocating for a long-term TSA funding bill. One plan being floated includes “paying TSA officers for the next three years and taking that leverage off the table,” according to a recent statement from U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman.
“Three years of stable, dedicated funding for TSA officers is the minimum needed to rebuild staffing pipelines, retain experienced personnel, and ensure that we do not experience the same dysfunction for the foreseeable future,” Freeman said.
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