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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will issue one-time $10,000 payments to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers who demonstrated what the agency calls “exemplary service” during the 43-day federal government shutdown (the longest in US history). The move is intended to recognize these frontline workers who continued screening passengers without pay as airports nationwide faced staffing shortages and delays.
DHS Secretary, Kristi Noem, announced the bonuses and described them as recognition of patriotism and resilience shown by the officers who kept airport security operations functioning through six weeks of missed paychecks. DHS plans to draw from unused 2025 budget funds to finance the payments, which are separate from federal back pay that all eligible employees will receive.
The department has not specified how many TSA officers will receive the bonus or the full criteria for qualification. DHS acknowledged that officers endured severe personal and financial strain during the shutdown. Many took on side jobs and were struggling to afford commuting costs. While some employees were unable to report to work, others worked extended shifts to keep checkpoints open.
The bonus program mirrors a similar idea floated by President Donald Trump for air traffic controllers, who also worked without pay and experienced a spike in sick calls that strained the system. That proposal has yet to receive funding.
Noem’s announcement comes after controversy surrounding a TSA public service announcement released last month in which she criticized Democrats for failing to fund the government. Several airports declined to air the PSA, citing concerns over Hatch Act violations. Others, like Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) were unable to block the video, but displayed disclaimers distancing themselves from its message.
During the shutdown, around 50,000 TSA officers were required to report to duty despite missed paychecks. Some airports faced growing security lines as employees struggled to balance unpaid federal work with temporary jobs needed to support their families. DHS says the bonuses are designed to help affected households recover from the financial disruption and to acknowledge the officers who went above and beyond to maintain the security of the nation’s aviation system.
Anthony’s Take: I’m happy to see these bonuses being paid. It sucks that these people had to work without paychecks and this is a nice gesture. The unprecedented shutdown tested the resilience of the country’s transportation infrastructure and they kept showing up to work. This is an example of a policy that I can support.
(Featured Image Credit: @KristiNoem via X.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
