President Trump Signs Order To Pay TSA Workers Amid “Democrat-Caused Shutdown”

“As the Democrat-caused shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues well into its sixth week, America’s air travel system has reached its breaking point. This is an unprecedented emergency situation,” a presidential memorandum read.

“Currently, more than 60,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, including approximately 50,000 transportation security officers who perform security functions at domestic airports, are not being paid due to congressional Democrats’ reckless decision to prioritize criminal illegal aliens over American citizens and shut down DHS until their demand to prohibit enforcement of Federal immigration law is met,” it continued.

Breaking: President Trump signed an executive order to pay TSA workers after funding stalled in Congress https://t.co/Rznpo81aIA

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 27, 2026

USA TODAY shared further:

The White House said it will “use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations to provide TSA employees with the compensation and benefits that would have accrued to them if not for the Democrat-led DHS shutdown,” according to text of the decree.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin began the process of paying TSA workers as soon as Trump signed the memo, the agency said in a statement to USA TODAY. Employees should begin receiving paychecks as early as March 30.

The executive action comes after Republicans in the House of Representatives rejected a unanimous Senate-passed deal to fund all of DHS minus immigration enforcement operations.

The rejection of the agreement, which was reached in the early hours of the morning, underlined a stark divide between House and Senate Republicans, who’d worked through the night with Democrats to try to end the crisis ahead of a scheduled two-week congressional recess.

Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified before Congress earlier this week to describe the impact of the shutdown on the agency.

Acting TSA Administrator Testifies Before Congress – Nearly 500 Employees Quit, Some Officers Resort To Selling Blood And Sleeping In Cars

“Acting TSA Administrator Ms. Ha Nguyen McNeill testifies before Congress that TSA is currently suffering the longest wait times in agency history, with callout rates hitting 40-50% at some airports and more than 480 employees quitting since the shutdown began. McNeil testifies that TSA has been shut down for half of fiscal year 2026, and $1 billion in TSA paychecks will be missed if the shutdown isn’t ended by Friday,” Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin wrote.

“She testified that to make ends meet, TSA officers have been selling blood and plasma and sleeping in their cars. Some have received eviction notices, missed bill payments and accrued late fees, damaged their credit, and have defaulted on loans, but are ‘still expected to perform at the highest level,’” he continued.

BREAKING: Acting TSA Administrator Ms. Ha Nguyen McNeill testifies before Congress that TSA is currently suffering the longest wait times in agency history, with callout rates hitting 40-50% at some airports and more than 480 employees quitting since the shutdown began. McNeil…

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 25, 2026

More from the presidential memorandum:

Since the shutdown began, nearly 500 transportation security officers have left their positions, and thousands more have begun to call out sick at record rates due to lack of pay. As a result, security wait times at some airports have reached untenable lengths of three or more hours. These increased wait times, combined with declining morale among TSA staff, unacceptably heighten the risk of security vulnerabilities within our domestic travel system and has negatively impacted countless Americans.

If Democrats in the Congress will not act to honor the service of our TSA officers, who are now performing their critical public safety responsibilities without knowing whether they will be able to buy food for their families or pay their rent, then my Administration will take action. As President of the United States, I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security.

Accordingly, I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations to provide TSA employees with the compensation and benefits that would have accrued to them if not for the Democrat-led DHS shutdown, consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a).

Once regular funding for TSA has been restored, every effort should be made, as authorized by law, to adjust applicable funding accounts within DHS to ensure the continuation of DHS operations and activities consistent with planned expenditures prior to the lapse.