More than 400 TSA officers have quit since shutdown began [View all]

Source: NBC News

March 21, 2026, 6:15 PM EDT / Updated March 21, 2026, 6:25 PM EDT


More than 400 Transportation Security Administration workers have quit since a partial government shutdown that began on Feb. 14 has left them working without pay, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Funding was shut off to DHS over demands by Democrats for reforms at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection following alleged abuses and the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year.

There has also been a national callout rate of 10% at TSA on more than half the days of the last week, Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, said Saturday in response to questions.

TSA, which is under DHS, has around 65,000 employees. Of that number, 50,000 are front-line officers who are is responsible for security at the nation’s airports. Of the TSA officers who quit during the shutdown, almost half have over three years of experience and a third have over five years, the agency said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/400-tsa-officers-quit-shutdown-rcna264581