The Daily Populous Thursday March 12nd, 2026 evening edition
Authored by abcnews.com and submitted by AudibleNod

TSA employees will receive their first $0 paycheck of the shutdown this week.

TSA officer callouts spike amid partial government shutdown as more than 300 leave agency

A TSA agent works at a security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on March 9, 2026.

Since the partial government shutdown began on Feb. 14, the rate of unscheduled absences and callouts by Transportation Security Administration officers has "more than doubled" nationwide, and more than 300 TSA officers have left the agency, according to TSA statistics obtained by ABC News.

CBS News first reported the officer separations Tuesday, noting that Department of Homeland Security officials are concerned more officers could leave if the shutdown continues much longer.

Travel turmoil has plagued airline passengers across the country as TSA security screening wait times continue to fluctuate amid the shutdown, with the staffing shortages and callouts contributing to longer lines in some places. At several airports nationwide, passengers have seen security wait times ranging from 20-30 minutes to as high as two hours at certain points, with travelers being advised to arrive at the airport early to allow adequate time for screening.

Airline passengers wait in long lines to get through the TSA security screening at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, March 8, 2026. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP

Approximately 60,000 TSA employees have gone nearly a month with reduced pay and will receive their first $0 paycheck of this shutdown this week.

Major hubs from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and Houston's Hobby Airport have all been significantly impacted by the staffing shortages.

The callout rate for TSA officers is typically around 2%, according to the agency, but that figure has increased to 6.16% during the partial shutdown.

Based on the data obtained by ABC News, the highest average callout rate among all airports has been at JFK, with a callout rate of approximately 21% amid the shutdown.

A TSA agent works at a security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on March 9, 2026. Aaron Schwartz/AFP via Getty Images

JFK was also impacted significantly during the massive blizzard on Feb. 23, which the agency said worsened staffing shortages, with more than 76% of TSA officers calling out. About 53% of TSA officers also called out that day at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

Other airports that have seen an increase in callouts amid the partial shutdown include Atlanta (19%), Houston (18%), Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (14%), and Pittsburgh International Airport (13%).

A TSA agent checks travelers at San Diego International Airport during the 2025 government shutdown in San Diego, California, November 7, 2025. Mike Blake/Reuters

Despite the security screening backlog, relief may be on the horizon for pre-approved travelers who utilize expedited clearance coming into the U.S. through Global Entry, as DHS reactivated the program Wednesday morning.

DHS temporarily suspended the fee-based Trusted Traveler program last month due to the partial shutdown, saying at the time it would reassign personnel to assist the broader traveling public.

The agency told ABC News in a statement Tuesday that it was "working hard to alleviate the disruptions" resulting from the shutdown.

In addition to high security screening wait times, rising jet fuel prices due to the ongoing Middle East conflict could soon impact carriers and lead to potential airfare increases for customers ahead of the busy summer travel season.

"In the past, airlines used fuel hedges in order to maintain a consistent price of fuel. However, in the last decade, most of them have moved away from that because they ended up suffering financial losses as a result," travel expert Julian Kheel told ABC News this week. "That means when the price of jet fuel goes up, it's felt almost immediately by passengers looking at airfares."

Ninjaher0 on March 12nd, 2026 at 13:19 UTC »

Imagine not getting paid and facing very high gas prices to get you to the workplace that won’t pay you. And then reading factual news reports of your employer blowing millions on luxury jets and lobster. This era couldn’t get any more ridiculous. But then it does…

Neversoft4long on March 12nd, 2026 at 13:13 UTC »

This is the second time in less then 6 months they have had to deal with this. At this point I would just quit lol

AudibleNod on March 12nd, 2026 at 12:07 UTC »

> TSA employees will receive their first $0 paycheck of the shutdown this week.

Meanwhile at the Department of War:

Pete Hegseth Goes on $93 Billion Pentagon Spending Spree for Lobster, Fruit Baskets and Japanese Flute: Report