---
title: "DHS Shutdown Hits 40 Days as TSA Checkpoints Strain and Paychecks Missed"
date: 2026-03-25
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/25/dhs-shutdown-40-days-tsa-strain/
categories:
  - "Politics"
  - "World"
tags:
  - "Capitol Hill"
  - "DHS shutdown"
  - "federal workers"
  - "government shutdown"
  - "TSA"
---

# DHS Shutdown Hits 40 Days as TSA Checkpoints Strain and Paychecks Missed

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown has entered its 40th day, leaving Transportation Security Administration checkpoints under mounting strain and many DHS workers facing another missed paycheck. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have begun to take steps toward a resolution, but negotiators have yet to reach an agreement, according to reporting by PBS congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins.

## What Happened

The shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security has persisted for 40 days. Operational pressure is visible at airports, where TSA checkpoints are experiencing increased strain as employees continue to work amid disrupted funding. Many DHS employees are confronting another missed paycheck as the lapse in appropriations continues.

On Capitol Hill, there has been some movement in talks to restore funding, but no deal has been finalized. Congressional reporting indicates action has begun, yet negotiators have not reached an agreement that would reopen DHS funding and end the shutdown.

## Background

A lapse in appropriations forces federal agencies to alter normal operations. For the Department of Homeland Security—an umbrella agency that includes entities such as the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, and other offices responsible for security, immigration and disaster response—continued funding is central to maintaining daily operations. During funding gaps, some employees are furloughed while others deemed essential continue working, often without pay until appropriations are restored.

TSA plays a frontline role in air travel security. When staffing and funding are disrupted, checkpoints can become strained: lines grow longer, processing times can increase and operational flexibility is reduced. Similar impacts have been reported in past funding lapses across different federal departments, highlighting how prolonged shutdowns ripple through transportation systems, border operations and emergency preparedness.

## Why It Matters

A 40-day shutdown of the DHS carries practical consequences for travelers, communities and international partners. Strained TSA checkpoints translate into longer waits and potential disruptions for domestic and international flights. For Panama and other Latin American countries that rely on steady air and cargo links with the United States, extended disruptions at U.S. airports can affect passenger connections and logistics flows.

Beyond travel, the shutdown poses broader risks to public safety and cross-border cooperation. Agencies within DHS coordinate with foreign counterparts on immigration, border security and disaster response. Interruptions to staffing, funding and routine operations can complicate those partnerships and slow joint efforts when crises arise.

Most immediately, the human cost is evident for DHS workers. Missing paychecks create financial strain for employees and their families. The longer a funding lapse continues, the greater the cumulative impact on morale, retention and institutional readiness.

Capitol Hill movement toward resolving the lapse is an important step, but without a finalized agreement the uncertainty will persist. Lawmakers face the task of negotiating terms that restore funding while addressing broader policy disputes that led to the impasse. The timing and outcome of those negotiations will determine when DHS operations return to normal and when affected workers receive back pay.

As the shutdown reaches its 40th day, travelers and communities remain watchful for developments in Congress that could alleviate pressure at checkpoints, restore pay for federal employees and re-establish full operational capacity across homeland security functions.