TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, two major frequent flier airport security programs, were briefly suspended Sunday by the Department of Homeland Security — with Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the partial government shutdown that began just over a week ago.
However, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) quickly reversed course and said PreCheck would still operate — though courtesy escorts for members of Congress and other VIPs would be suspended.
“This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,” DHS head Noem said in a statement.
“Shutdowns have real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security,” she added.
“The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians.”
The security programs allow fliers to bypass the main lines at airports in favor of expedited processes, which are more automated and have less screening.
TSA PreCheck allows fliers to get through security lines faster and more easily — by not forcing them to remove laptops from bags, for instance.
Global Entry allows travelers arriving in the US to use kiosks to speed through border controls.
The partial government shutdown started Feb. 14 following a funding deadlock between Republicans and Democrats. Lawmakers on both sides agreed to fully fund the rest of the government outside DHS through Sept. 30, but the Homeland Security funding bill proved tricky due to Democrats’ demands for sweeping reforms to immigration enforcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection remain largely funded because of the GOP’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year.
Other DHS programs, such as the Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are not fully funded.
“TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts. FEMA will halt all non-disaster related response to prioritize disasters,” Noem explained. “This is particularly important given this weekend another significant winter storm is forecast to impact the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States.”
In addition to temporarily pausing the frequent flier programs amid the funding lapse, the DHS is also halting courtesy and family escorts for congressional lawmakers by police at airports, which is “drawing staff away from the critical mission of getting passengers screened,” according to the department.
The DHS is also putting non-disaster FEMA response efforts on pause to prioritize emergencies.
House Homeland Security Committee Democrats raged against the move, accusing the DHS of “ruining your travel on purpose.”
The White House has made multiple offers to Democrats in an effort to stave off another government shutdown, and President Trump has made overtures such as winding down Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, which helped spark the recent immigration standoff, and rolling out body cameras, which was one of the core demands.
But Democrats have pushed for more reforms, including ones that bump up against red lines for GOP leadership, such as banning ICE agents from wearing masks and imposing more stringent warrant requirements for immigration enforcement raids.
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