Paying Our Great Transportation Security Administration Officers and Employees

On March 29, 2026, President Donald J. Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directing them to find emergency funding to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees despite the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown.Key highlights of the memorandum include:Declaration of Emergency: The President officially determined that the six-week-old DHS shutdown constitutes an "emergency situation" that is compromising national security due to a "breaking point" in the U.S. air travel system.Impact of the Shutdown: The memo notes that 60,000 TSA employees (including 50,000 security officers) have been working without pay. This has resulted in 500 resignations, record-high sick calls, and airport wait times exceeding three hours, which the President argues creates "unacceptable" security vulnerabilities.Direct Payment Order: Bypassing the congressional stalemate, the President directed the DHS and OMB to identify and use existing funds that have a "reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations" to provide workers with their full compensation and benefits.Political Blame: The memorandum explicitly blames "Radical Left Democrats" for the shutdown, accusing them of prioritizing "criminal illegal aliens" and "reckless" immigration policies over the safety of American travelers and the livelihoods of federal workers.Fiscal Restoration: The order stipulates that once Congress eventually restores regular DHS funding, the agency should adjust its accounts to ensure that original planned expenditures and operations remain consistent.The administration characterizes this move as a necessary intervention to support "great TSA officers" and protect the nation's infrastructure while accusing Congress of "dangerous gamesmanship."