DHS shutdown enters fourth week as TSA lines hit 4 hours
260,000 federal workers unpaid as airports face spring break gridlock
260,000 federal workers unpaid as airports face spring break gridlock
The Department of Homeland Security has been operating without approved funding since February 14, 2026, when a short-term continuing resolution expired without a replacement. DHS is the only federal agency caught in this partial shutdown. The rest of the federal government has been funded through the rest of fiscal year 2026, which ends September 30 CNN. This DHS-specific impasse is the second government funding lapse in recent months, following a record 43-day shutdown that affected DHS last fall.
More than 260,000 DHS employees are legally required to keep working as essential personnel but are not receiving paychecks. That group includes 61,000 TSA airport screeners, members of the Coast Guard, and a majority of FEMA staff. Workers received a partial paycheck on February 28, but a full missed paycheck was scheduled to hit on March 14, 2026, meaning the financial pressure on frontline workers is intensifying as the spring break travel season peaks.
Essential concepts and terms to understand this topic
No federal money can be spent without Congress passing an appropriations bill.
Temporary closure of federal agencies due to budget impasses.
The only Senate procedure that can end a filibuster, requiring 60 votes to invoke. Once cloture is invoked, debate is li...
A lapse in federal funding when Congress fails to pass appropriations bills before the fiscal year deadline.
Congress controls all government spending and can leverage this over other branches.

US Senator, Washington (D) — Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Committee
Murray is the lead Democratic negotiator on DHS funding and has blocked Republican proposals twice since the shutdown began. On March 11, she offered a bill to fund all DHS agencies except ICE and CBP, which Republicans blocked. She has publicly demanded that Stephen Miller personally be excluded from any negotiations unless the White House guarantees it will honor agreements senators reach, saying she won''t ''give away a few things and have Stephen Miller override whatever we all agree to.''

US Senator, Alabama (R) — Chair, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security
Britt is the lead Republican appropriator on DHS funding and has pushed for a clean, no-conditions two-week continuing resolution that would pay all DHS employees while negotiations continue. On March 11, she proposed H.R. 4553, a two-week continuing resolution; Murray objected. Britt has portrayed Democrats as blocking essential worker pay to advance immigration policy demands.

US Senator, South Dakota (R) — Senate Majority Leader
Thune has publicly accused Democrats of refusing to negotiate in good faith, saying the last White House offer on DHS funding came nearly two weeks before the March 11 floor debate. He has called the ongoing impasse 'a new low,' saying Americans expect Congress to maintain basic government functioning. Thune has committed to bringing DHS funding vehicles to a Senate vote each week until the shutdown ends.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff
Miller is not a negotiating party in the Senate but has emerged as the central obstacle from Democrats'' perspective. Sen. Murray has specifically said she will not negotiate any agreement that Miller can unilaterally override, citing his role as the architect of aggressive immigration enforcement policy. His effective veto power over DHS policy agreements — even those reached by elected senators — illustrates how executive political appointees can shape legislative outcomes from outside the formal legislative process.
US Senator, Oklahoma (R) — Nominee for DHS Secretary
Trump nominated Mullin to replace Noem effective March 31, 2026. Mullin has not yet been confirmed and inherits a department coping with a staffing drain, a funding lapse, and a leadership vacuum. His nomination has not moved Democrats closer to a deal. Senate Homeland Security Committee Chair Rand Paul has not yet scheduled a confirmation hearing, leaving Mullin''s start date uncertain.
Senior Official Performing Duties of TSA Administrator
McNeill has been the public face of the TSA during the shutdown, testifying to Congress about staffing impacts before the funding lapsed and warning that the agency cannot sustain another round of attrition like the one it experienced during the fall 2025 shutdown. She told Congress that TSA saw a 25 percent increase in attrition during that earlier lapse compared to the same period the prior year, and said the agency was particularly ill-prepared for a repeat given the upcoming World Cup travel surge.
Former DHS Secretary (fired March 5, 2026)
Noem was fired by President Trump on March 5 amid growing frustration over the shutdown''s management and the TSA staffing crisis. She had previously been a proponent of aggressive ICE enforcement tactics that Democrats cited as a reason for withholding DHS funding. Her departure did not resolve the underlying funding standoff, and critics noted that the same enforcement policies she oversaw remain in place under acting leadership.
True
More than 260,000 DHS employees are working without pay during the shutdown.
Multiple news organizations including the Associated Press, Washington Times, and Government Executive independently reported this figure based on DHS personnel data. The figure has been cited consistently across major outlets covering the shutdown since mid-February 2026.
Sources
True
305 TSA employees quit between February 14 and March 9, 2026.
CBS News first reported this figure, and it has been confirmed by multiple outlets including CNN. The departures represent workers who separated voluntarily due to financial hardship from working without pay, a pattern consistent with what occurred during the 2024 shutdown and earlier funding lapses.
Sources
True
ICE and CBP have continued full operations during the DHS shutdown because of separate funding.
The Verge and other outlets reported that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act allocated $170 billion to DHS for immigration enforcement, and those funds remained available independent of the appropriations lapse. ICE continued arresting and detaining people, and CBP continued border operations throughout the shutdown period.
Sources
True
Airport wait times reached up to four hours at Houston''s Hobby Airport.
CNN, Reuters, KHOU, and multiple other outlets reported on the extreme wait times at Houston Hobby Airport, with figures ranging from over three hours to approximately four hours depending on the specific time and reporting source. The airport itself advised passengers to arrive four to five hours before flights.
Sources
True
Sen. Murray demanded that Stephen Miller not be able to override any Senate deal as a condition of negotiating.
Murray''s quote was reported verbatim by multiple outlets including the Associated Press, Washington Times, NBC News, and the Senate Daily Press record from March 11, 2026. The statement is on the public congressional record and was made directly on the Senate floor.
Sources
True
Trump fired Kristi Noem on March 5 and nominated Markwayne Mullin as her replacement.
Trump''s March 5 announcement was widely confirmed across major news organizations and was posted on Truth Social by Trump himself. Multiple outlets confirmed Mullin''s nomination and the March 31 effective date.
Sources
Demand immediate DHS funding resolution as TSA workers face missed paychecks
civic action
The Department of Homeland Security shutdown entered its fourth week on March 12, 2026, with 50,000 TSA officers working without pay since February 14. Airport wait times have reached up to 4 hours at some locations, with lines extending to parking lots during spring break travel. Over 300 TSA officers have quit during the shutdown, exacerbating staffing shortages. TSA workers are scheduled to miss their first full paycheck on March 14, creating urgent pressure for a funding resolution before the situation further deteriorates.
Support legislation to guarantee federal workers get paid during government shutdowns
advocacy
A bipartisan group of 16 House members introduced legislation in January 2026 that would require federal employees, military service members, and contractors to be paid in full and on time even during a government shutdown. This reform would prevent workers from being used as leverage in budget fights.
Track the DHS shutdown''s real-time impact through federal employee and aviation industry groups
civic education
The American Federation of Government Employees and the US Travel Association publish regular updates on shutdown impacts including worker hardship data, airport wait time trends, and legislative developments. Staying informed is the first step toward meaningful civic engagement on this issue.