The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) abruptly shut down both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry services as of Sunday morning, an unprecedented move affecting millions of travelers that’s likely to exacerbate delays at airports across the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem insisted the closure of those two popular trusted traveler programs was necessary for “prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry” after funding for her agency and its employees lapsed in mid-February. The agency said the closure took effect at 6 a.m. ET Sunday, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the decision.
That means even paying PreCheck members may be routed into longer queues where they'll have to take liquids and electronics out of their bags. But it may take time for security agents at airports across the country to enforce the change: Even after the 6 a.m. Sunday deadline, Thrifty Traveler heard from several travelers who were using PreCheck queues as normal.
This latest partial federal government shutdown is far less sweeping than the record-setting shutdown last fall, which led to weeks of delays and cancellations as air traffic controllers eventually stopped reporting for work. In this case, only funding for DHS has been held up amid a dispute over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, including the deaths of two citizens who were shot and killed by federal agents.
Airport security, customs agents, and other DHS employees continue working unpaid, as they’re deemed essential. While delays occurred during previous shutdowns, neither trusted traveler program was outright halted.
Again and again and again in these funding disputes, everyday travelers have been used as leverage – a political pain point to try to force a funding deal in Congress.
Noem explicitly blamed Democrats for the closure in a statement, saying that “shutdowns have serious real world consequences.” On social media, Congressional Democrats accused Noem of “ruining your travel on purpose.”
Normally, TSA PreCheck gets approved travelers into an expedited line at airport security checkpoints while Global Entry speeds up the process at customs and immigration after returning from abroad. Both programs require background checks to vet users and are largely supported by membership fees: $78 for a five-year PreCheck membership and $120 for Global Entry over a five-year span.
Noem argued pausing both programs was necessary to ensure federal employees can screen and process all travelers. That may be counterproductive.
Both programs allow federal employees to handle far more travelers daily by expediting the process for approved registrants, improving wait times for all. That’s especially true of Global Entry, which is now largely automated through the use of facial recognition for identity verification at kiosks in airport passport control areas.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
