TSA Officials Warn of Airport Closures Due to DHS Shutdown and Unpaid Officers

The ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is causing concerns about potential airport closures as 50,000 TSA officers remain unpaid. The TSA’s acting deputy administrator, Adam Stahl, stated on Fox News that if the shutdown continues, “it’s not an exaggeration to say that we may have to shut down airports, especially smaller ones, if there are significant call-out rates.

This statement was later confirmed by a TSA spokesperson to The New York Times, who explained that airport closures would only occur if there were not enough officers to staff the screening checkpoints. However, there was no mention of any specific airports being at risk of reaching this threshold.

Since Congress allowed funding for DHS to lapse on February 14, TSA officers have been working without pay. This has led to an increase in sick calls and resignations, resulting in long wait times for travelers at airports across the country.

So far, the only consequence of the staffing shortages has been longer wait times, and no airports have been closed for any period of time. The percentage of officers calling in sick on Monday ranged from 37% at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to 55% at Houston’s Hobby Airport. Stahl warned that wait times will continue to increase if the rate of sick calls remains high. Normally, less than 2% of TSA officers call in sick on any given day.

These staffing issues are occurring during a critical time for airlines, as many rely on spring break travel to turn a profit in the first quarter. Despite the recent increase in fuel prices due to tensions with Iran, airlines have reported strong demand from passengers. This is partly due to international travelers rerouting to avoid connections in the Gulf region, benefiting airlines with large international networks like United, Delta, and American.

However, the ongoing shutdown could eventually impact demand for air travel, especially on short-haul flights where travelers may opt for surface transportation instead. In a letter to Congress, Airlines 4 America, an industry trade association, expressed frustration with air travel being used as a “political football”. They cited a recent poll showing that 93% of Americans support paying federal aviation workers during government shutdowns.

The letter also reminded Congress that the upcoming FIFA World Cup and America 250 celebrations in 2026 will further increase demand for air travel, with airlines already expecting a record 171 million passengers during this spring season alone.

As of March 19, the DHS shutdown has been ongoing for 35 days. The longest government shutdown in history occurred in 2025 and lasted 43 days, furloughing 900,000 federal workers and costing the government $11 billion. During this time, TSA workers, along with air traffic controllers employed by the FAA, continued working without pay. It is important to note that air traffic controllers are not included in the current DHS shutdown.

Stahl expressed that the agency’s resources