Frustration is building at airports across the country, including right here in Orlando, where passengers are waiting in long, slow-moving lines.
All while the people responsible for keeping travel safe, TSA workers, have been showing up to work without a paycheck. However, that may change starting tomorrow. President Trump signed an executive order instructing the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA workers immediately.
Lines at Orlando International Airport—and across the country—keep stretching longer by the day as TSA workers go without pay for more than a month during the partial government shutdown.
“As you can see, it’s very congested. We’ve been here waiting a long time, trying to get to our final destination. TSA has been really slow,” said traveler Chiemo Jennings.
With callout rates topping 40% at some airports, and nearly 500 TSA officers quitting during the shutdown, the strain is showing, according to DHS. But not every traveler is feeling it.
“Me, personally? No, not really,” Art Garcia. responded.
But TSA workers may finally get paid this week.
“They’re human beings, and they need to pay their bills. They need to feed their families,” said Garcia.
Friday, President Trump signed an executive order instructing the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA workers immediately—
“It’s sad. Very, very sad. If you do a job, you should get paid,” said Jennings.
Regardless of the stalemate in Congress.
“They are a key component to keeping things running smoothly, so when you hear that they’re going to get paid—even better—because it is stressful,” said Garcia.
Officials say paychecks could start going out as early as Monday.