TSA PreCheck Remains Operational, Global Entry Suspended Amid Government Shutdown
DALLAS (AP) — The Transportation Security Administration said Sunday that its Global Entry program would be suspended as long as the partial government shutdown remains in effect. The agency initially announced Saturday night that it planned to shut down both Global Entry and the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program, but the Department of Homeland Security reversed course on the PreCheck closure.
“As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case-by-case basis and adjust operations accordingly,” the agency said in a statement.
The disruption to security and customs lanes is tied to a partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14 after Democrats and the White House were unable to reach a deal on legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have been seeking changes to immigration operations central to President Trump’s deportation campaign.
The security disruptions come as a major winter storm is forecast to hit the East Coast from Sunday into Monday, with nine out of ten flights canceled at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Boston Logan Airport.
Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program, allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to use expedited kiosks when entering the United States from abroad. Travel industry experts estimate that Global Entry can reduce customs processing time from 30 to 90 minutes to 5 to 10 minutes.
Those who purchase Global Entry also receive TSA PreCheck. In 2024, the Department of Homeland Security reported that more than 20 million Americans had TSA PreCheck, with many also holding Global Entry memberships.
Airport lines appeared largely unaffected Sunday, with security check line wait times listed as under 15 minutes for most international airports, according to TSA’s mobile app.
Blair Perkins, 39, of Dallas, learned about the potential Global Entry shutdown before departing Cancun for Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Sunday morning. She said the regular line was long but moved relatively quickly. “We went around about four or five different corners to get to the end of the U.S. Line,” she said.
Perkins noted that with Global Entry, customs typically takes less than five minutes, but on Sunday it took about 30 minutes. She expressed frustration with the shutdown, stating, “It feels like Washington is using travelers as a pawn to try to persuade the other side to do what they want.”
Homeland Security had previously announced “emergency measures to preserve limited funds,” including the potential suspension of TSA PreCheck lanes and Customs and Border Protection Global Entry service to refocus personnel.
Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, stated, “We are glad that DHS has decided to keep PreCheck operational and avoid a crisis of its own making.”
Prior to announcing the PreCheck reversal, Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement Saturday night that “shutdowns have serious real-world consequences.” She also announced the suspension of courtesy escorts for members of Congress at airports during the shutdown.
Jean Fay, 54, reported no issues going through TSA PreCheck at the Baltimore airport for her 6 a.m. Sunday flight to Texas. She only learned about the shutdown while changing planes in Austin, Texas.
Airlines for America, a trade group representing major carriers, criticized the initial announcement Saturday night, calling it “issued with extremely short notice to travelers, giving them little time to plan accordingly.” The organization expressed deep concern about the suspension of PreCheck and Global Entry, stating that the traveling public was being “used as a political football.”
Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security criticized the Department of Homeland Security’s handling of airport security following the initial announcement, accusing the administration of “kneecapping the programs that make travel smoother and secure.”
Senator Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, suggested that Noem’s actions were part of an administration strategy to distract from other issues and shift responsibility. “This administration is trying to weaponize our government, trying to make things intentionally more difficult for the American people as a political leverage,” he told CNN on Sunday.
