Federal security employees have lost close to $1 billion in wages as chaos at airports persists during the ongoing government shutdown

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# DHS Shutdown Enters Sixth Week as Airport Delays Mount and Security Concerns Grow

Senior leaders from federal agencies impacted by the Department of Homeland Security funding gap appeared before lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday, as the crisis stretched to 40 days with no resolution appearing imminent.

The prolonged budget lapse has left the Transportation Security Administration, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency operating without appropriated funds, forcing workers to perform their duties without receiving paychecks. The strain has prompted some airports to recommend passengers arrive as many as four hours ahead of departure, as TSA personnel absent from their posts have created significant screening bottlenecks.

Opening the House homeland security committee hearing, Republican Chairman Andrew Garbarino painted a stark picture of the fallout, describing “massive disruptions” throughout the nation’s aviation system. The New York congressman further warned that the country’s digital defenses had been compromised, stating the shutdown had “weakened our nation’s cybersecurity posture.”

Garbarino also raised alarm over the timing of the crisis relative to upcoming large-scale public events, noting that states were operating without federal support with fewer than 100 days remaining before major gatherings — including the FIFA World Cup — are set to begin on American soil.

The agencies affected collectively represent core pillars of the nation’s homeland security infrastructure, and officials testifying Wednesday faced pointed questions from committee members regarding the cascading consequences of the extended funding interruption.