President Donald Trump on Friday signed a memorandum directing DHS to pay TSA employees, after promising to address a grinding impasse that left airport security workers missing paychecks for weeks.
"If Democrats in the Congress will not act to honor the service of our TSA officers, who are now performing their critical public safety responsibilities without knowing whether they will be able to buy food for their families or pay their rent, then my Administration will take action," the memo read. "As President of the United States, I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security."
DHS confirmed the change on Friday, saying the first paychecks would reach TSA workers "as early as Monday, March 30."
The White House said money to pay checks will come from the president's One Big Beautiful Bill, signed in 2025.
Friday's memorandum says when regular funding for TSA is restored, DHS will readjust its funding to carry on its planned operations.
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More than 3,400 TSA officers had called out on Thursday, TSA reported. At airports in Houston, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, call out rates exceeded 40%.
In the meantime, Congress remains at an effective standstill over funding for the rest of DHS.
House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a Senate-passed DHS funding measure, saying Friday he will instead bring a 60-day continuing resolution to fund the entire department to the floor.
The partial government shutdown has stretched past six weeks as Democrats push for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement before agreeing to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The agency oversees ICE, TSA and several other federal operations.
Paychecks for TSA may take some immediate pressure off the shutdown impasse, said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), but it is a “short term solution.”
