AdvertisementAdvertisementLines are shorter as the morning continues at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Mar 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: AFP/Megan Varner)27 Mar 2026 05:06PM (Updated: 27 Mar 2026 05:09PM) Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST WASHINGTON: The United States Senate moved on Friday (Mar 27) to end a budget standoff that has forced thousands of airport security staff to work without pay and caused long delays at airports.A lapse in government funding has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff - who screen passengers, baggage and cargo - working without pay since mid-February.Airports in several cities have warned travellers to arrive hours earlier than usual because of long security lines.The funding dispute centred on demands by opposition Democrats for reforms of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authority, which has faced nationwide criticism of its aggressive tactics against undocumented immigrants and for the killings of two US citizens this year.Show MoreShow LessSenators voted in favour of a bill shortly after 2am to fund all of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - which is the TSA's parent agency - except ICE and Border Patrol, for 2026. The bill would provide funding for the TSA, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among other agencies.It must now be passed by the House.Trump orders government to pay airport security workersStaff absences soar at some US airports as ICE agents prepare to screen travellersMore than 300 TSA staff have quit and unscheduled absences have surged since the shutdown began, leading to extended travel delays and airports struggling to screen travellers.The federal government began deploying ICE agents to assist in providing security, drawing sharp criticism from Democrats, rights activists and some Republicans, who warn that ICE personnel are not trained for such work and that it risks escalating tensions in already stressed environments.President Donald Trump, who promised on Thursday to pay airport security officers, previously said he would not sign a funding deal unless Congress also passes a contentious bill to overhaul how citizens register to vote in US elections.Source: AFP/dcSign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST