After a flurry of overnight outrage, President Donald Trump's administration reversed plans to suspend the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program during a partial shutdown of the US Department of Homeland Security.
"At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case-by-case basis and adjust operations accordingly," the agency said Sunday morning. "Courtesy escorts, such as those for members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America's skies."
The Washington Post reported that a DHS official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the reversal was "based off of conversations the secretary had with the White House and TSA."
DHS partially shut down last week amid a funding fight in Congress, with Democrats demanding reforms in response to agents with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) openly violating the rights of immigrants and US citizens alike, and even killing Renee Good and Alex Pretti last month in Minnesota.
The department said late Saturday that it would close PreCheck lanes, which allow travelers at US airports to move through security more quickly; halt the CBP Global Entry service, which allows expedited clearance for arriving in the United States; and pause all non-disaster-related Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) response efforts.
"Shutdowns have real-world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security," said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, blaming the changes on Democrats in Congress. "The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians."
Critics in journalism, politics, the travel industry, and beyond quickly highlighted how PreCheck and Global Entry reduce the strain on not only air travelers but also federal workers across multiple DHS agencies.
"These nitwits are at it again," said House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). "This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines and ease the burden on DHS staff who are working without pay because of Trump's abuse of the Department and killing of American citizens."
"Trump and Kristi are making your lives harder—and your travel less safe—all on purpose because they know you don't trust them," he continued. "They pulled these games with FEMA disaster response last week, now this madness. They would rather force Americans to miss their travel waiting in long lines at the airport than stop Trump's secret police from shooting our neighbors. The American people—who want ICE reined in—will not fall for this bullshit. The administration must reverse this decision immediately."
While the Trump administration reversed course on PreCheck, the Global Entry suspension and FEMA restrictions remain in effect as a major snowstorm hit the East Coast.
"Everyone knows Donald Trump and DHS use bullying tactics—this is another one of them," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in a Sunday statement about Global Entry. "The Trump administration is choosing to inflict pain on the public instead of adopting commonsense ICE reforms."
"In the 43-day historic Trump government shutdown DHS never changed the Global Entry program's status," Schumer said, referring to the funding battle that ended in November when a short list of Democratic senators gave in. "Democrats are fighting against this exact kind of abuse."
