The Biden administrations latest government shutdown has now forced the Department of Homeland Security to suspend key trusted-traveler programs, disrupting air travel and raising fresh questions about Washingtons priorities.
According to The Post Millennial, DHS has halted both Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, two programs that reward law-abiding, pre-screened travelers with expedited security processing in exchange for extensive background checks confirming they pose no threat.
This marks the second shutdown in six months, a pattern that underscores how partisan brinkmanshipdriven largely by Democrat resistance to serious border enforcementcontinues to have real-world consequences for ordinary Americans.
In a sharply worded statement, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem laid the blame squarely on the left.
"This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress, said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Shutdowns have real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security."
Noem emphasized that the department is being forced into triage mode, redirecting limited staff and resources away from convenience services and toward basic security functions.
"The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians. TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also being pushed to scale back, with non-emergency work put on hold so that disaster response can continue.
"FEMA will halt all non-disaster related response to prioritize disasters. This is particularly important given this weekend another significant winter storm is forecast to impact the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States.
Within TSA, the shutdown has triggered what the agency calls emergency operating status, consolidating manpower to focus on core security tasks.
"As the Transportation Security Administration enters emergency operating status, resources are being consolidated to prioritize essential security operations and focus personnel on detecting and countering threats. Effective at 6:00 a.m. on February 22, nonessential privileges and courtesies provided by TSA will cease."
The most visible change for travelers will be the closure of TSA PreCheck lanes, forcing even vetted, fee-paying members back into standard screening lines.
"As a result: TSA PreCheck lanes will be closed. All TSA PreCheck members will be directed to general screening lanes to maintain our security standards and consolidate TSAs limited personnel and resources."
Political elites will also lose some of the perks they have grown accustomed to at the expense of taxpayers and front-line officers.
"All courtesy escorts, including for members of Congress, will cease. These escorts put increased strain on our officers, who must be allowed to prioritize their critical work of screening passengers."
TSA officials stressed that the priority is to avoid diluting security standards while operating with constrained funding and staffing.
"Operations at all airports will prioritize screening of the general traveling population. Without appropriations, TSA simply cannot afford to risk overstretching our staff and weakening our security posture. Until funding is restored, all travelers should expect a process that does not sacrifice security, but refocuses TSA officers to standard screening procedures. TSA PreCheck and other services will resume upon Department of Homeland Security funding being signed into law."
Customs and Border Protection is taking similar steps, suspending Global Entry processing and redeploying officers to handle the broader flow of arrivals.
"For Customs and Border Protection, the measures are: 'As of 6:00 am on February 22, 2026 U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations will halt all Global Entry arrival processing at participating airports."
Personnel who normally handle expedited Global Entry kiosks will instead be moved to regular inspection lines to keep airports functioning.
"Officers assigned to process Global Entry travelers will be re-assigned to process all other arriving travelers. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent resident Global Entry Members can proceed to the properly marked primary processing lanes for arriving U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. All other Global Entry members can proceed to the properly marked visitor lanes."
CBP is also cutting back on special treatment for lawmakers at ports of entry, again to free up manpower for core border security missions.
"CBP will also be suspending requests for port courtesies for members of Congress at all ports of entry to include escorts and tours in order for personnel to be reassigned to essential border security operations."
This shutdown, which began in February after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a budget, is rooted in a familiar clash over immigration enforcement and DHS funding.
Democrats continue to resist the Trump administrations mandate to deport illegal immigrants and secure the border, while roughly 750,000 federal employees now face unpaid leave as a direct consequence of Washingtons refusal to prioritize national security and fiscal responsibility over partisan obstruction.
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