If you have a flight coming up this week, pay close attention. TSA PreCheck suspended — those three words are reshaping airport travel across the United States as of Sunday, February 22, 2026. The Department of Homeland Security officially paused both the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs at 6 a.m. Eastern Time this morning, a direct consequence of the ongoing partial government shutdown that has left DHS without Congressional funding for more than a week.
This is not a minor inconvenience. This is a sweeping disruption that affects more than 17 million active PreCheck members and a substantial portion of frequent international travelers. If you were counting on skipping the standard security line at your next departure, that benefit is gone — at least for now.
📌 Heading to the airport soon? Read every section below before you go — the details matter and could save you from missing your flight.
Why DHS Pulled the Plug on PreCheck and Global Entry
The Department of Homeland Security has been operating without approved Congressional funding since February 14, 2026. That is the date a partial government shutdown took effect after lawmakers and the White House failed to reach a deal on DHS funding legislation. The shutdown is not a full government funding lapse — it targets DHS specifically — but the impact is severe.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated the agency is “making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions” and is prioritizing the “general traveling population” at airports and ports of entry. Suspending trusted traveler programs like PreCheck and Global Entry allows the agency to consolidate staffing and redirect personnel into standard screening operations that serve the broader public.
Noem was blunt in her characterization of the situation. She said, “This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,” adding that shutdowns have “serious real world consequences” — not only for DHS employees and their families who go without pay, but for national security as a whole.
The Political Fight Behind the Funding Collapse
The shutdown did not happen overnight. It is the product of a months-long standoff between Republicans and Democrats over how DHS conducts federal immigration enforcement.
Democrats demanded Republicans agree to impose new restrictions on DHS operations after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens — Alex Pretti and Renée Good — in Minneapolis last month. The White House negotiated with Democrats, but the two sides did not reach a deal before DHS funding ran out on February 14.
Democrats insist they never wanted TSA or other non-immigration agencies disrupted. However, they viewed the aggressive tactics used by federal immigration enforcement as serious enough to justify blocking the department’s entire funding until new oversight restrictions were put in place.
Republicans pushed back hard. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the second-ranking Senate Republican, warned from the Senate floor before the shutdown began: “If the Department of Homeland Security is defunded, the pain will extend throughout the country.”
Negotiations are expected to resume this week when Congress returns from recess, but as of Sunday morning there is no deal on the table and no clear timeline for when one might be reached.
What Happens at the Airport Now
Starting today, TSA PreCheck is suspended for all members, regardless of how recently they enrolled or renewed. That means no dedicated PreCheck lanes. No skipping the shoe removal. No keeping your laptop in your bag. Every PreCheck member now goes through the same standard screening process as every other traveler.
TSA officers are expected to continue working without pay during the shutdown. However, even a handful of unscheduled absences could quickly lead to longer wait times at smaller airports — for example, if there is just a single security checkpoint. Shortages of TSA officers could also slow the screening of checked luggage behind the scenes.
Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill warned lawmakers at a House Oversight Committee hearing earlier this month: “Many TSOs work paycheck to paycheck trying to support themselves and their families. During a shutdown, the ability to pay for rent, bills, groceries, childcare, and gas just to get to work becomes very challenging, leading to increased unscheduled absences as a shutdown progresses. Higher call outs can result in longer wait times at checkpoints, leading to missed or delayed flights, which has a cascading negative impact on the American economy.” affected by this shutdown, a slowdown at security checkpoints can create ripple effects throughout the entire flight network.
For international travelers, Global Entry — the program that allows Americans to bypass long customs lines upon returning from abroad — is also suspended. That means standard re-entry processing at U.S. ports of entry for everyone, regardless of membership.
This Shutdown Is Different From the Last One
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry were not impacted during the 43-day full government shutdown that lasted from October 1, 2025 through November 12, 2025. That shutdown was triggered by the expiration of Affordable Care Act health plan funds.
The current situation is fundamentally different. Because this shutdown is targeted specifically at DHS, the agency has far fewer financial and operational resources to absorb. It cannot cross-fund from other departments, and it cannot maintain premium services like trusted traveler programs while simultaneously keeping core security operations functioning across hundreds of airports.
That is what makes this moment more disruptive for everyday travelers than last fall’s longer but broader shutdown — this one hits airport operations at the center.
Other Emergency Measures DHS Is Taking
The PreCheck and Global Entry suspension is just one piece of a broader set of emergency actions DHS rolled out Sunday morning.
The agency is also suspending airport police escorts for members of Congress and other expedited services. FEMA will halt all non-disaster-related response to prioritize disasters. The agency is now requiring approval for all FEMA travel, including disaster relief travel.
The FEMA restrictions come at a particularly bad time, as a significant winter storm is expected to hit parts of the country this weekend. The combination of constrained disaster response resources and disrupted airport operations creates a compounding challenge for federal agencies and travelers alike.
How Long Will TSA PreCheck Stay Suspended?
That is the question every traveler wants answered, and the honest answer is: it depends entirely on Congress.
Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on funding the department are expected to resume this week when lawmakers return from recess. A stalemate has emerged, with the parties appearing no closer to reaching an agreement despite a flurry of proposals and counterproposals between the two sides.
Until a new DHS funding bill passes and is signed into law, TSA PreCheck suspended will remain the reality at every airport in the country. There is no automatic restoration. There is no workaround. The programs come back only when the money comes back.
What Travelers Should Do Right Now
If you have a flight in the next few days or weeks, here is the practical guidance security experts and TSA are recommending:
Arrive at the airport earlier than you normally would. If you typically arrive 90 minutes before a domestic flight, consider two hours or more. Airport lines will be longer and less predictable without PreCheck lanes operating.
Pack carefully. Prohibited items at a standard checkpoint will cause delays not just for you but for everyone in line behind you. Liquids, gels, aerosols over the allowed size, pocketknives, and similar items in carry-on bags will slow screening considerably.
Check your airline’s app for real-time gate and delay information before you leave home. If TSA staffing shortfalls create checkpoint backups at connecting airports, knowing early gives you more options.
For travelers returning from international destinations, expect a longer wait at customs and entry processing without Global Entry. Build that time into your travel plans.
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