TSA Staffing Crisis Deepens as Government Shutdown Enters Second Month

TSA officer absences reach critical levels at major US airports during the 33rd day of a partial government shutdown, threatening potential airport closures.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 19, 2026, 4:36 AM EDT

Source: Reuters

Escalating Absences and Operational Disruptions

As the federal funding impasse persists, the TSA is grappling with a significant spike in unscheduled absences. While the typical daily absence rate for the agency is under 2%, recent data shows nearly 10% of the workforce failing to report for duty daily since Sunday. The crisis reached a peak of 10.2% on Tuesday, causing significant bottlenecks at major international gateways. In some high-traffic locations, the shortages are much more acute; Houston Hobby reported a 40% absence rate, while New York JFK, Pittsburgh, and Houston Bush each saw 30% of their security staff call out. These shortages have forced travelers to endure security lines exceeding two hours in cities like Atlanta and New Orleans.

The Risk of Regional Airport Closures

Federal officials are now signaling that the current staffing trajectory is unsustainable for the national aviation network. Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl recently warned that the agency may be forced to "quite literally shut down airports," specifically targeting smaller regional facilities that lack the personnel depth to cover rising call-out rates. Since the shutdown began on February 13, 366 TSA officers have officially resigned, further depleting a workforce that has already gone a full month without a paycheck. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) noted that some airports have resorted to localized fundraising efforts to help provide food and essential supplies for unpaid security personnel.

Political Impasse and the Immigration Reform Conflict

The current fiscal crisis was triggered by a lapse in DHS funding following a legislative stalemate in Congress over immigration enforcement reforms. The deadlock emerged after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on specific policy changes demanded by Democrats, leaving approximately 50,000 TSA employees as collateral in a broader partisan battle. This follows a historical precedent from last fall, when a 43-day shutdown led to widespread flight cancellations and a mandatory 10% reduction in flights at major airports. Airline CEOs have expressed growing frustration, describing the air travel industry as a "political football" in the ongoing dispute.