Airport security agency confirms expedited screening program will continue despite earlier suspension notice during partial government shutdown.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Transportation Security Administration announced Sunday that its PreCheck program will remain operational, reversing an earlier indication from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that the expedited airport screening service would be suspended during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
The agency said it would continue operating the program while monitoring staffing levels. “As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly,” the agency stated.
It remains unclear whether Global Entry, a separate expedited processing program for international travelers, will face similar uncertainty. PreCheck and Global Entry are designed to speed registered travelers through security checkpoints and customs processing. Any suspension of those services would likely result in longer lines and travel delays at airports nationwide.
The confusion follows a partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14 after Democrats and the White House failed to reach an agreement on legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have sought changes to immigration enforcement operations central to President Donald Trump’s deportation policies.
Earlier, Homeland Security said it was implementing “emergency measures to preserve limited funds.” Among those measures, the department listed “ending Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck lanes and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Global Entry service, to refocus Department personnel on the majority of travelers.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed the shutdown’s impact in a statement Saturday night, saying, “shutdowns have serious real world consequences.”
While PreCheck will continue, TSA confirmed that certain traveler services have been curtailed. “Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies,” the agency said.
Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. carriers, criticized the handling of the initial announcement, stating Saturday night that “it’s past time for Congress to get to the table and get a deal done.” The trade group also said the notice was “issued with extremely short notice to travelers, giving them little time to plan accordingly.”
Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security sharply criticized the department’s approach after the original suspension notice, accusing the administration of “kneecapping the programs that make travel smoother and secure.”
Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, said Sunday that the developments reflect a broader strategy by the administration.
“This administration is trying to weaponize our government, trying to make things intentionally more difficult for the American people as a political leverage,” Kim told CNN. “And the American people see that.”
As the funding standoff continues, TSA officials say they will reassess operations as needed, while travelers monitor the status of expedited screening programs amid ongoing uncertainty.
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