Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have begun selling blood for cash to cover expenses during a partial government shutdown, Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl revealed.
The shutdown, which began on February 14 and has been ongoing since then, stems from Senate Democrats repeatedly blocking funding measures for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in protest over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) operations enforcing federal immigration laws.
Stahl stated that some workers are “drawing blood to afford gas to get to work.” This marks the second time TSA agents have gone unpaid due to a shutdown, with many already missing a full paycheck. Stahl described the dire circumstances: “Our people are hurting. We have individuals sleeping in their cars.”
The crisis has worsened as the government shutdown extends beyond one month. At Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport—the world’s busiest—roughly 36 percent of TSA workers failed to show up, resulting in hour-long security lines. Major airports nationwide report significant delays: John F. Kennedy International in New York and Newark International in New Jersey have seen wait times of up to 43 and 36 minutes, respectively. Spring Break travelers at Orlando and Honolulu face lines exceeding 45 minutes.
Aaron Baker, president of a union representing Georgia’s TSA workers, reported that many employees are facing eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators, and overdrawn bank accounts. “Every available financial option has been exhausted,” he stated during a press conference outside Hartsfield-Jackson. Hundreds of TSA agents have already quit, leaving only 50,000 workers nationwide.
The situation has drawn attention from Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), who is President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to become DHS Secretary. During his confirmation hearing, Mullin urged Congress: “We have to get DHS funded.”
