On March 30, tens of thousands of AFGE members at TSA saw backpay hit their accounts after President Trump on March 26 announced he would be signing an executive order to pay TSA workers to curb the long security lines at airports across the country during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Following President Trump’s announcement, AFGE National President Everett Kelley issued a statement, expressing gratitude that TSA officers represented by AFGE would be paid and calling on Congress to pass a measure to pay all Department of Homeland Security employees, including thousands of workers represented by AFGE at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and others.
“Congress needs to continue working to pass a real, bipartisan appropriations deal that funds DHS, pays all DHS workers, and keeps these vital agencies running — even if that means canceling their upcoming vacation,” Kelley said in a statement.
On April 3, President Trump signed a memo directing DHS to pay all remaining employees, including back pay.
Following Congress’s departure for a two-week vacation amid their failure to pass a spending bill, Kelley immediately called on them to return to Washington to fund DHS.
“Come back to Washington. Honor your oath. Do your job,” Kelley said.
AFGE TSA Council 100 President Hydrick Thomas echoed President Kelley’s criticism and called on Congress to return to Washington, highlighting the fact that prior to the April 3 memo from the president, our fellow DHS employees were still not being paid thanks to the dysfunction in Congress.
“We have performed our duty. Unfortunately, Congress has failed to perform theirs. To leave Washington while tens of thousands of workers are going without pay shows a clear lack of respect for the essential employees tasked with keeping our nation safe,” Thomas said in a statement. “To say we are utterly disgusted and disappointed with our elected officials is an understatement. Congress must come back to Washington, fix this crisis, and stop putting politics over people and vacation over values.”
On March 30, tens of thousands of AFGE members at TSA saw backpay hit their accounts after President Trump on March 26 announced he would be signing an executive order to pay TSA workers.
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Still wondering how to stay engaged and keep the momentum going after your time attending the AFGE Legislative Conference in Washington, DC? The Advocacy Department has the answer for you!
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The AFGE Women and Fair Practices Department is proud to invite you to join us for our 2026 Service Through Action and National Development (S.T.A.N.D.) Conference.
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