The ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has created a divide between workers at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Transportation Security Administration, with one group receiving pay while the other goes without.
According to The Mirror US, tens of thousands of TSA officers are continuing to work without pay as airports struggle to maintain operations. Around 60,000 TSA staff are required to keep security lines moving despite receiving $0 paychecks, leading to staff shortages and hundreds of resignations since the funding lapse began.
Why ICE agents are still paid
The key difference lies in how the two agencies are funded. ICE operations are currently backed by the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, a major spending package passed in 2025 under Donald Trump’s administration.
The legislation allocated more than $170 billion toward immigration enforcement through 2029, far exceeding the DHS’s typical annual discretionary budget. This funding has allowed ICE to continue operating and paying personnel even during the shutdown.
{{/usCountry}}The legislation allocated more than $170 billion toward immigration enforcement through 2029, far exceeding the DHS’s typical annual discretionary budget. This funding has allowed ICE to continue operating and paying personnel even during the shutdown.
{{/usCountry}}Reports cited by USA Today indicate that this pool of money has already been used in previous shutdown scenarios to pay tens of thousands of federal law enforcement officers, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection staff.
Policy analyst Dominik Lett noted in a report that such funding allows immigration enforcement to continue “largely undisrupted” regardless of whether DHS appropriations are stalled. He argued that moving spending outside the traditional budget process has effectively bypassed normal checks and balances.
Why TSA workers aren’t getting paid
In contrast, TSA funding is tied directly to the DHS annual budget, which remains stuck in political gridlock. As a result, nearly 95% of TSA’s workforce is classified as “essential”, meaning they must continue working during a shutdown, even without immediate pay.
Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill mentioned the financial strain on workers, recalling past shutdown hardships. “We heard reports of officers sleeping in their cars… selling their blood and plasma and taking on second jobs to make ends meet,” she said at a recent hearing, as reported by PBS.
When asked whether alternate funding could be used to pay TSA workers during the current shutdown, McNeill said, “I do not believe so.”
Growing impact on airports
The funding standoff has already begun affecting airport operations, with rising absenteeism and delays reported across major hubs.
Meanwhile, ICE agents are being deployed to assist at airports, handling tasks such as monitoring exit lanes and checking identification.