Overview
- Roughly 95% of TSA employees are designated essential and are reporting to duty without pay, with most airports operating normally for now, including steady traffic in Chicago on Monday.
- Travel and airline groups warn that unpaid security staff increase the risk of call-outs that could produce longer lines and missed or delayed flights as spring break nears.
- Air traffic controllers remain paid under the FAA’s separate funding, which lowers the likelihood of widespread cancellations tied to air traffic staffing.
- Congress is on recess with no agreement in place, as Democrats seek statutory identification, body cameras, limits on masks and judicial-warrant requirements for immigration operations after last month’s Minneapolis shootings.
- TSA unions report mounting financial strain and morale concerns for officers still recovering from last year’s 43-day shutdown, with representatives in San Diego and the Bay Area cautioning that retention and attendance could suffer if the lapse persists.