Tsa Precheck suspension to slow travelers first — who will feel it and how DHS is pausing PreCheck and Global Entry

The pause on tsa precheck and Global Entry will be felt first by regular domestic flyers using expedited lanes and low‑risk international arrivals who rely on faster customs processing. Airports, airline operations and passengers planning imminent trips face a sudden change: programs meant to reduce lines are being taken offline while a partial government shutdown continues.

Tsa Precheck disruption: who is affected and what changes for travelers

These programs are specifically designed to speed registered travelers through security lines; removing them means longer standard screening queues for approved passengers and slower customs clearance for pre‑approved international travelers. Here’s the part that matters: travelers who budgeted for shorter security and customs times will need to rebuild extra time into itineraries, and airport staffing plans will have to adapt quickly to heavier general population flows.

What the department announced and the immediate timing

The Department of Homeland Security is suspending the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs as a partial government shutdown continues. The suspensions will begin from 6am ET on Sunday. The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, said that "shutdowns have serious real world consequences" and added that "TSA and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts. "

Responses from critics and industry leaders

Some US airlines criticized the department for giving travelers scant warning of the temporary suspension. The chief executive for the trade association, Chris Sununu, said, "Airlines for America is deeply concerned that... the traveling public will be, once again, used as a political football amid another government shutdown. " He added that the news came at "extremely short notice to travelers, giving them little time to plan accordingly, " and urged Congress to "get a deal done". Sununu also noted that a similar shutdown last year caused losses of $6. 1bn across the travel industry and related sectors.

• Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security criticized the decision and said on social media the administration was "kneecapping the programs that make travel smoother and secure" and accused them of "ruining your travel on purpose. "
• Some airlines have warned that the short notice will make trip planning harder for passengers and complicate operations at busy airports.
• Routine traveler expectations—shorter queues and faster customs processing—are the immediate casualty of the pause on these trusted programs.

Broader shutdown context, related actions and timeline

The partial government shutdown began on 14 February after Democrats and the White House were unable to reach a deal on legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have been demanding changes to immigration operations that are core to President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign. On Thursday, the administration ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a part of the DHS, to suspend the deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster‑affected areas, due to the DHS shutdown.

Micro timeline (from the provided context):

• 14 February — partial government shutdown began when Democrats and the White House failed to reach a DHS funding deal.
• Thursday (unclear in the provided context which Thursday) — the administration ordered FEMA to suspend deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster‑affected areas.
• 6am ET on Sunday — suspensions of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry will begin.

It’s easy to overlook, but the ripple effects will not be limited to passenger lines: customs processing, international arrival flows and airport resource allocation are all affected when trusted expedited programs are paused.

Key immediate takeaways:

• Passengers who usually use tsa precheck should expect to enter standard security lanes and plan extra time for departures.
• International travelers who rely on Global Entry will face standard customs and immigration processing instead of expedited clearance.
• Airlines and airports are dealing with extremely short notice, which increases the risk of flight delays or gate‑area congestion as volumes shift.
• Previous shutdowns showed industry losses in the billions, signaling economic stakes beyond traveler inconvenience.

The real question now is how long the suspension will last and whether Congress will resolve the funding impasse that prompted these operational changes. Recent updates indicate the pause has a set start time but details may evolve as the political situation develops.