Border Czar Tom Homan Confirms TSA Agents to Receive Paychecks as Early as Monday; ICE to Remain at Airports Until Staffing Stabilizes

WASHINGTON – White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced Sunday that the roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers affected by the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown will begin receiving paychecks as early as Monday or Tuesday.

Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Homan told host Jake Tapper that he had spoken with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin the day before and confirmed a concrete plan is in place. “There is a plan to get these TSA agents pay, hopefully by tomorrow... Tuesday,” Homan said. He added that the news is welcome for frontline officers who have been working without compensation for over six weeks. “These TSA officers are struggling. They can’t feed their families or pay their rent. Your heart goes out to them.”

The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s executive order signed late last week directing DHS to immediately compensate TSA employees using available funds with a “reasonable and logical nexus” to TSA operations. The order ensures full pay and benefits as if the shutdown never occurred, with back pay to be provided once permanent funding is restored.

The partial shutdown, now in its 43rd day since Feb. 14, stems from a funding standoff over ICE enforcement operations. Democrats have blocked full DHS appropriations unless significant changes are made to immigration enforcement policies. Republicans have refused partial deals that exclude ICE.

Homan also addressed the continued presence of ICE agents deployed to major airports to assist with non-screening duties such as entrance/exit security and identification checks. “We’ll see,” he said when asked if ICE would pull out once TSA is paid. “It depends how many TSA agents come back to work [and] how many TSA agents have actually quit and have no plan coming back to work.”

He noted that ICE’s support has already helped reduce wait times at congested airports by freeing TSA officers to focus on screening. “If fewer TSA agents come back, that means we’ll keep more ICE agents there,” Homan told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “The president has been clear. He wants to secure those airports… ICE is there to help our brothers and sisters in TSA. We’ll be there as long as they need us.”

Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified last week that more than 480 officers have quit since the shutdown began, with call-out rates reaching 40% at some hubs and security lines hitting record lengths during spring travel.

Homan criticized Congress for recessing while essential workers remain unpaid. “The American people hold Congress responsible. They’re on vacation right now while tens of thousands of DHS employees aren’t being paid,” he said. He called on lawmakers to pass full DHS funding that includes ICE operations and rejected Democratic demands for policy changes as an excuse to “hold the rest of the DHS hostage.”

Even with TSA pay restored, other DHS components including the Coast Guard and Secret Service remain unfunded. Homan stressed that the administration is prioritizing aviation security amid the ongoing Iran conflict and heightened national threat level.

The House passed a full-year DHS funding bill late last week, but the Senate has yet to act. Republicans are prepared to pursue separate ICE funding through reconciliation if needed. Homan continues daily coordination with Mullin, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and TSA leadership to maintain airport operations until Congress resolves the impasse.