Here's a surreal scene from the partial government shutdown: major U.S. airports are now essentially running charity drives for their own federal security staff. With Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees required to work without pay, airports from coast to coast are appealing directly to the public for donations of food, gas cards, and groceries to keep their security lines staffed.
It's a strange kind of public-private partnership. Denver International Airport took to social media platform X to ask people to "Support the dedicated TSA employees working without pay by donating $10 and $20 grocery store and gas gift cards." They specified that Visa gift cards couldn't be accepted—apparently even charity has its bureaucratic rules.
Meanwhile, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport announced it had opened a food pantry for TSA and Customs and Border Protection staff. They're asking for "donations of non-perishable food, hygiene items, and diapers" at a conference center on airport property. According to airport spokesperson Perry Cooper, this isn't their first shutdown rodeo—they used similar pantries during prior funding gaps, with airport businesses pitching in with meals and discounts for workers.
While some airports are collecting canned goods, others are managing the practical fallout. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest, recently advised travelers to arrive two to three hours early for flights. New Orleans Airport posted that wait times had "improved but remained unpredictable," offering the same two-hour recommendation. It's the airport equivalent of "bring a book and pack your patience."
The situation has become political theater with real consequences. Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the Trump administration as the shutdown reached day 24, specifically calling out a TSA message that blamed Democrats for staffing shortages causing missed flights. In Washington, lawmakers floated the idea of redirecting funds from what was colloquially known as Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill"—money intended for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—over to pay TSA employees instead.
The proposal found some bipartisan support, with Senate leaders John Thune (R-SD) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) backing the concept. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) highlighted how the shutdown was "impacting aviation from the ground up." That impact includes the suspension of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry enrollment nationwide—so much for "expedited" security.
The root of all this remains a funding dispute tied to immigration enforcement rules. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the department had made "tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions" and warned the shutdown endangered national security. Negotiations with the White House failed, and here we are: airports running food drives for the people who keep our planes safe.
So next time you're heading to the airport, you might want to pack an extra granola bar—not for yourself, but for the TSA agent who hasn't been paid in weeks but still has to show up to scan your luggage.
