The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated on Sunday that its Global Entry program will be halted for the entire period of the partial government shutdown.
This choice followed ainitial Saturday night announcementthat both Global Entry and the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck program would be discontinued, a decision the DHS later reversed regarding PreCheck.
“Due to staffing limitations, the TSA will review each situation individually and modify operations as needed,” the agency stated.
The chaos in security and customs lines is connected to a government shutdown that started on February 14.
This deadlock emerged following the failure of Democrats and the White House to reach an agreement on proposed legislation tosupport the Department of Homeland Security.Progressive lawmakers are pushing for modifications in immigration procedures, which play a key role in President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport individuals.
The security issues occur during a period when amajor winter stormwill affect the East Coast from Sunday through Monday. Nine out of ten flights departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Boston Logan Airport have been called off for Monday.
The Global Entry initiative, managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, provides approved, low-risk travelers with faster access through automated kiosks when returning to the United States from international destinations.
There is no official government data available that indicates the exact time passengers save at airports or other entry points through Global Entry. However, experts in the travel industry estimate that Global Entry reduces the time it takes to go through customs, cutting it from an average of 30 to 90 minutes in regular lines to just 5 to 10 minutes in Global Entry lanes.
Individuals with Global Entry are also granted access to TSA PreCheck. According to the Department of Homeland Security in 2024, over 20 million Americans were enrolled in TSA PreCheck, with millions of them holding combined Global Entry memberships.
Airport queues remained mostly unaffected until midday on Sunday, with estimated wait times for security checks at under 15 minutes at most international airports, as reported by the TSA’s mobile application.
Blair Perkins, 39, from Dallas, had learned about the Global Entry closure prior to departing Cancun on Sunday morning to head back to Dallas. She mentioned that when she and her friends reached Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the standard line was lengthy but progressed at a reasonable pace.
“We circled around four or five different corners to reach the end of the U.S. line,” she said.
With Global Entry, the customs process typically takes under five minutes, she said. On Sunday, it took approximately 30 minutes.
Perkins mentioned that the shutdown was annoying. “It seems as though Washington is treating travelers as a tool to try to, I suppose, convince the other party to comply with their demands,” she stated.
The Department of Homeland Security had previously stated that it was implementing “emergency measures to protect limited funding.” Among the actions mentioned were “closing TSA PreCheck lanes and CBP Global Entry services, in order to redirect department staff to assist the majority of travelers.”
“We’re pleased that DHS has chosen to maintain PreCheck’s operation and prevent a self-inflicted crisis,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.
Prior to announcing the closure of PreCheck, Secretary Kristi Noem stated in a message on Saturday night that “shutdowns have significant real-world impacts.” Noem also mentioned she would cease providing courtesy escorts for members of Congress at airports during the partial government shutdown.
Jean Fay, 54, mentioned that she didn’t experience any problems using TSA PreCheck at the Baltimore airport for her 6 a.m. Sunday flight heading back to Texas. She found out about the shutdown only when she was transferring planes in Austin, Texas, on her way to Dallas Love Field.
“When I arrived in Austin, I began receiving the notifications,” she stated.
The Airlines for America, an industry organization that represents major airlines, stated on Saturday night that “it’s time for Congress to sit down and finalize an agreement.” They also expressed disapproval of the announcement, noting it was “made with very little warning to passengers, leaving them insufficient time to make necessary arrangements.”
The organization stated, ‘A4A is deeply worried that the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs are being halted, and that the traveling public will once again be treated as a political pawn during another government shutdown.’
Members of the Democratic party on the House Committee on Homeland Security expressed criticism towards the Department of Homeland Security’s management of airport security following the initial announcement on Saturday evening. They alleged that the administration had “undermined the programs that facilitate smoother and safer travel.”
Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, stated that Noem’s actions are part of an administrative plan to divert attention from other matters and transfer blame.
“The current administration is attempting to turn our government into a tool for political gain, deliberately creating obstacles for the American public,” he stated to CNN on Sunday.
And the American public recognizes that.
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