More than 1,000 TSA officers have quit over DHS funding lapse just in time for World Cup and summer travel crush

More than 1,000 TSA workers have quit since the ongoing Department of Homeland Security funding lapse began more than two months ago, the agency said Monday.

“Ahead of the FIFA World Cup and summer travel, this loss has SIGNIFICANTLY decreased TSA’s ability to meet passenger demand and left critical gaps in staffing, as each new recruit requires 4-6 MONTHS of training,” the department posted on social media.

The State Department is expecting up to 10 million international visitors during this year’s FIFA World Cup. If the DHS shutdown continues, fans traveling to the 11 U.S. World Cup host cities could feel the impacts.

The DHS shutdown began in mid-February, after lawmakers failed to reach a deal on funding the agency. The funding lapse forced TSA employees to work without pay, which caused long lines and delays at airport security checkpoints across the country.

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President Donald Trump directed DHS to pay its staff with funds from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” spending package earlier this month — but funding could run out if the shutdown extends into May, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Fox News last week. That could mean the return of long security lines at U.S. airports.

“That money is dried up, if I continue down this path, the first week of May, because my payroll through DHS is just over $1.6 billion every two weeks,” he said.

“There is no more emergency fund, so the president can’t do another executive order for us to use money, because there’s no more money there,” he added.

The Independent has contacted DHS for comment.

About 1,110 TSA officers quit during the previous government shutdown, which lasted for 43 days across October and November 2025, Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told Congress last month.

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McNeill explained that many TSA employees live “paycheck to paycheck,” which means they often struggle to afford necessities when their pay is disrupted by a government shutdown. She also warned that the ongoing shutdown will impact World Cup travelers this summer.

“We are anticipating a significant influx in passenger volume as fans travel through our airports to see the games. Even if TSA were to hire new officers upon conclusion of the DHS shutdown, those officers would not be able to work on the checkpoint until well after the World Cup has concluded,” she said.

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