TSA Agents to Get $10,000 Bonuses for Working Through Shutdown

Noem Announces Bonus Payments

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says some Transportation Security Administration officers who stayed on the job through the 43-day U.S. government shutdown will receive $10,000 bonus checks. Noem said those who “served with exemplary service” would be awarded the payments on top of back pay owed from the lapse in federal funding, according to Fortune. DHSgov / Wikimedia

Recognition Ceremony in Houston

Noem made the announcement at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, where she stood alongside nearly two dozen TSA staff as she handed out the first envelopes. She praised the officers for “stepping up, taking on extra shifts” and “for showing up each and every day” to maintain airport security nationwide. DHSgov / Wikimedia

Unclear Criteria for Payouts

While emphasizing gratitude, Noem acknowledged that the eligibility rules for the one-time bonuses are not fully defined. She said the Department of Homeland Security “will continue to evaluate every single employee that helped during the shutdown” and “look at every individual that did exceptional service.” It remains unclear how many employees will ultimately receive the payments. DHSgov / Wikimedia

Funding Through Carryover Dollars

According to DHS, the bonuses will be covered using carryover funds from fiscal year 2025, supplemented by savings on contracts and other agency spending. Tens of thousands of TSA workers, from checkpoint screeners to administrative staff, took on additional hours to plug gaps left by colleagues unable to work. DHSgov / Wikimedia

Shutdown Disruptions and Air Travel Strain

The shutdown, triggered by a Congressional funding standoff that began on 1 October, caused widespread delays across the national air system. The Federal Aviation Administration was forced to restrict flights due to staffing shortages, particularly among air traffic controllers — many of whom called out sick or had taken temporary jobs to make ends meet. Connor Gan / Unsplash

White House Supports Broader Bonuses

President Donald Trump has floated awarding similar payments to air traffic controllers who continued working and refrained from calling in sick during the shutdown. The White House / Wikimedia

Honoring Workers Who Endured Hardship

Noem said TSA employees had taken on “extra challenges and extra hours” while working without pay and were “examples to the rest of the individuals who worked with them and endured those hardships.” The shutdown officially ended this week after more than six weeks of disruption. DHSgov / Wikimedia