In a significant policy reversal, the Trump administration announced Sunday that the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program would continue operations despite the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. The decision came just hours after officials had declared the expedited screening program would be temporarily suspended.
The initial announcement from Homeland Security Department officials indicated PreCheck would halt operations at 6:00 AM EST, triggering widespread concern among travel industry stakeholders and airlines. This timing coincided with the beginning of the busy spring break travel season, during which more than 20 million actively enrolled PreCheck members rely on expedited security processing at U.S. airports.
According to the department’s earlier statement, the suspension would have been prompted by the current government shutdown, marking a departure from last year’s approach when DHS maintained PreCheck operations during a 43-day funding lapse. The current partial shutdown began earlier this month following failed negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on immigration enforcement reforms.
By mid-morning Sunday, TSA officials clarified that the program “remains operational with no change for the traveling public,” adding that the agency would evaluate staffing constraints on a case-by-case basis and adjust operations accordingly. However, the agency did confirm the suspension of courtesy escorts, including those typically provided to members of Congress.
The initial suspension announcement drew sharp criticism from industry leaders. Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu expressed deep concern about the potential suspension of both PreCheck and Global Entry programs, noting the “extremely short notice to travelers” created particular difficulties during a period of record air travel volume.
The status of Global Entry, which expedites customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved international travelers, remains uncertain following the administration’s reversal on PreCheck. The shutdown has already affected other DHS operations, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s deployment of aid workers to disaster-affected areas, which was suspended Thursday due to funding constraints.