Trump Orders DHS To Pay TSA Agents Amid Airport Chaos
Trump said he will sign an order directing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents amid unpaid staff, long security lines and stalled DHS funding talks.
SemaforTrump goes around Congress to pay TSA, raising questions
CBS NewsTrump says he'll order DHS to start paying TSA officers as shutdown drags on
World News GroupTrump to sign executive order for DHS to immediately pay TSA agents
ABC NewsTrump says he'll sign order directing DHS to pay TSA workers as shutdown drags on
Overview
President Donald Trump announced he will sign an order instructing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents.
The move follows a DHS funding lapse on Feb. 14 that has left TSA officers unpaid and contributed to long airport security lines and staffing shortages.
Senate Republicans including John Thune and John Barrasso backed the step, while Sen. Chris Murphy and other Democrats criticized the unilateral approach, according to reporters and officials.
The staffing shortfall has produced more than 11% missed shifts—over 3,120 callouts—and nearly 500 quits from nearly 50,000 TSA officers, officials said.
Negotiations stalled after a Senate test vote failed 53-47, Congress prepared to take a two-week recess on Friday, and officials said details of the president's plan were not immediately available.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as an urgent, pragmatic GOP response to a Democrat-caused DHS funding lapse, emphasizing operational impacts (long TSA lines, high call-out rates) and Republican voices while foregrounding White House language that blames Democrats. Editorial choices prioritize Republican quotes and causal framing; quoted statements themselves remain source content.
FAQ
TSA agents have not been paid since mid-March 2026 due to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding lapse that occurred on February 14, 2026, amid an impasse over the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown[1][3]. Congress has been unable to reach a deal to fund the DHS, and negotiations stalled after a Senate test vote failed 53-47[1]. This partial government shutdown has now entered its 44th day[1].
TSA agents have a starting salary of approximately $34,454 to $40,000 annually (with locality adjustments), and most earn between $46,000 and $55,000 per year[1][3]. In contrast, ICE deportation officers earn between $51,632 and $84,277, and are also eligible for a $50,000 signing bonus, often distributed in $10,000 per-year increments, putting their total compensation at nearly double that of TSA officers[1].
The shutdown has significantly impacted airport operations, resulting in more than 11% missed shifts (over 3,120 callouts) and nearly 500 quits from approximately 50,000 TSA officers[1]. This staffing shortage has contributed to long airport security lines and operational chaos[1].
President Trump announced he will sign an executive order directing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents[1]. Additionally, Trump ordered ICE agents to U.S. airports to guard exits and check IDs to allow TSA agents to more quickly conduct security scans at checkpoints[1].
Senate Republicans, including John Thune and John Barrasso, backed Trump's step to pay TSA agents immediately[1]. However, Senator Chris Murphy and other Democrats criticized the unilateral approach, expressing concerns about bypassing the normal congressional appropriations process[1].