DHS Funding Set to Expire in Early May, Impacting TSA Operations at US Airports

Com reported. The nation's homeland security chief stated on Tuesday that he will run out of money to pay for 50,000 workers. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told 'Fox and Friends' on Tuesday that the money would run out by early May.

' President Donald Trump directed DHS in late March to use emergency funds to pay Transportation Security Administration workers. TSA workers went without paychecks for about six weeks, causing disruptions at US airports. ' Three ICE officers patrolled Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport on March 28, 2026.

Passengers stood in line at security checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 24, 2026. A TSA worker checked passengers at Greater Pittsburgh International Airport on March 26, 2026. TSA workers went unpaid for six weeks last autumn during an earlier partial government shutdown.

In March, a weeks-long standoff in Congress caused security lines at some airports to exceed four hours. The four-hour security lines in March were the longest in the TSA’s nearly 25-year history. More than 500 TSA officers have quit since mid-February.

Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu told Reuters on Tuesday that Congress has to move fast to get DHS funded. ' Airlines for America represents American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and others. Senate Republicans will move forward this week on a budget blueprint that would boost funding for DHS agencies for the next three years, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

Democrats have pushed for new constraints on ICE and Border Patrol before authorizing additional funds. Democrats have argued that ICE and Border Patrol should be subject to the same operational rules as police forces across the United States, including a requirement that agents obtain judicial warrants before entering private homes.