The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security is disrupting airport operations across the country, suspending expedited screening programs and exacerbating a bitter funding battle over immigration enforcement.
TSA PreCheck, global access suspended
DHS said it will temporarily suspend TSA PreCheck and Global Entry starting Sunday at 6 a.m. Eastern after lawmakers failed to pass a funding measure before the agency’s budget expires on February 14. reported The Washington Post.
The programs, administered by the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, allow pre-approved travelers to move through airport security and customs lines more quickly.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the department is making “difficult but necessary decisions about staffing and resources” and is prioritizing the “general traveling population.”
“This is the third time Democratic politicians have closed this department during the 119th Congress,” Noem said.
“Shutdowns have serious real-world consequences… it endangers national security.”
The loss of funding comes amid Democratic demands for new restrictions on immigration enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Lawmakers are seeking requirements such as body cameras, mask limits and new warrant standards after federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month.
With Congress in recess, negotiations with the White House have failed to produce a deal.
DHS funding impasse after partial shutdown
Previously, DHS funding was halted after talks between the Donald Trump government and Senate Democrats failed, leading to the second partial government shutdown in 2026.
Democrats demanded changes in immigration enforcement after the killing Alex Pretti by federal agents, but no deal was reached before lawmakers left for recess.
White House Border Czar Tom Homan rejected the demands while the Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) urged DHS to follow standard law enforcement rules.
Betting data showed that more than $1.6 million had been wagered by the time funding was set to resume, with most predicting it would return before March 20, 2026, and expectations that the shutdown could last longer than 20 days.
President Trump signed a $1.2 trillion funding package that ended a brief shutdown but funded most agencies through September 30, while DHS funding was only extended through February 13, triggering further negotiations over the agencies’ immigration policies and operations.
Disclaimer: This content was produced in part using AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga’s editorial staff.
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