Tsa Precheck suspension snarls Chicago travel as airlines and officials demand action
Federal moves to suspend tsa precheck and Global Entry for hours on Feb. 22, 2026, left travelers in long lines at Chicago-area airports and drew a forceful statement from Airlines for America President and CEO Chris Sununu calling on Congress to reach a funding deal for the Department of Homeland Security.
Brief closure forced general security lines at O'Hare
The Department of Homeland Security closed TSA PreCheck and Global Entry on Sunday and reopened them hours later, a sequence that an airport employee said produced long lines and confusion after PreCheck lanes were shuttered and those passengers were forced into general security. Traveler Jason Hahn said he arrived 45 minutes earlier than usual at O'Hare on Sunday because he expected to stand in the general line.
Timing, scope and who is affected
The suspension was announced Saturday night as part of the partial government shutdown that took effect on Feb. 14; it was set to take effect at 5 a. m. Chicago time (6 a. m. ET) but, after 9: 30 a. m. Chicago time (10: 30 a. m. ET), DHS said the programs remained operational with no change for the traveling public. The department also cited potential staffing constraints and said it would evaluate operations on a case-by-case basis if problems emerge.
Numbers and immediate passenger impact
About 20 million people hold TSA PreCheck and roughly 12 million have Global Entry, figures tied to the disruption that DHS said would also pause escorts for members of Congress and thereby impact millions. One traveler said losing Global Entry can add as much as two hours to a trip, and Chicago passengers expressed frustration that the interruption came with little advance notice.
Airlines for America presses Congress after past shutdown losses
Airlines for America (A4A) President and CEO Chris Sununu warned that suspending TSA PreCheck and Global Entry with extremely short notice treats the traveling public as a political football during a government shutdown. Sununu cited last fall's 43-day shutdown—the longest in U. S. history—when more than 9, 000 flights were delayed or cancelled, six million travelers were significantly impacted, and the travel industry saw $6. 1 billion in losses. "It’s past time for Congress to get to the table and get a deal done that ensures TSA can fully operate and their frontline employees can be paid, " Sununu said. THE TIME TO MODERNIZE IS NOW! LEARN MORE.
Local reaction and wider effects
Travel expert Peter Greenberg called the move puzzling, saying, "My first reaction was, are you kidding me? This makes no sense based on the numbers we already know, " and adding that the action felt political rather than operational. Jason Hahn said, "In the back of my mind, I almost felt like the administration was punishing, " noting he suspected staffing levels remained unchanged. Along with the TSA, the shutdown is also affecting other agencies such as FEMA and the Coast Guard; so far TSA workers have missed one paycheck while air traffic controllers are not impacted.
Tsa Precheck restored but uncertainty remains
Two DHS there were no changes to Global Entry after the early-morning disruption, and by midmorning the department said TSA PreCheck remained operational. Travelers and airline groups say the short-notice move and the brief closure highlighted vulnerabilities during a partial shutdown and renewed calls for Congress to resolve DHS funding. Flights and passenger flow at Chicago airports returned toward normal after the announcement that PreCheck lanes would stay open.
Small items noted in A4A material this week included the 2026 Nuts and Bolts Award presented to American Airlines’ Stacy Morrissey and Robert Ireland, formerly of Airlines for America, and a reference to protecting airline credit cards at the state level; these items appeared alongside Sununu’s statement urging action.
they will evaluate staffing and operations on a case-by-case basis if constraints emerge. For now, TSA PreCheck lanes are open and travelers are watching for further announcements as lawmakers remain at an impasse over DHS funding.
