TSA officers from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field have been sent to Houston to help cover critical staffing shortages caused by the ongoing partial government shutdown that has strained airport security nationwide.
More than a dozen officers from DFW were deployed to George Bush Intercontinental Airport, with additional officers from Love Field also reassigned, according to Johnny Jones, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1040, which represents TSA workers in North Texas.
Bush Intercontinental has become a symbol of the disruption, with frustrated travelers facing warnings of up to four-hour security lines. On Tuesday, nearly 40% of TSA workers there did not show up for shifts, compared with 43% at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and a national average of 11%.
Jones said DFW has remained more stable than other airports because of differences in management and stricter policies on employee call-outs. He is urging the federal government to provide $10,000 bonuses in addition to back pay, noting this is the third government shutdown TSA officers have faced this fiscal year.
More than 450 TSA employees have left the agency since it began, while thousands more have been calling out of work. Officers are approaching a third missed paycheck, with some struggling to pay rent or afford child care.
The union plans to open a food bank for TSA workers at both DFW and Love Field on Friday. Love Field also launched a public donation drive on March 20, accepting toiletries, baby supplies, non-perishable food, and grocery or gas gift cards. No cash is being collected.
To address shortages at the hardest-hit airports, the Trump administration has deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to 14 locations nationwide. DFW and Love Field were not among them, Audacy reported.
Jones described the situation at Houston’s airports as “a potential perfect storm,” citing severe staffing shortages just as the region prepares for an influx of millions of visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in less than 80 days. He warned that newly hired officers will not be trained in time to help handle the expected surge.