WASHINGTON, March 22, 2026 — As U.S. airports suffer long security delays, the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) joined with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, Association of Professional Flight Attendants, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 135, to release the following statement:
“Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers must be paid now.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has billions of dollars in discretionary funding that could be used to pay TSOs during this partial shutdown, just like they have chosen to continue paying ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents, as well as active duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard. Instead of paying TSOs, they have chosen to create havoc in our airports.
“This latest threat of ICE invasion at the airports is another distraction from solutions that protect Americans. TSOs can’t simply be replaced. They undergo a six-month training program in which they learn to screen passengers while evaluating and managing risks within the unique context of an airport—especially how to identify disguised or disassembled weapons and explosives. This is expertise and training that ICE agents simply do not have, and cannot learn quickly. Furthermore, the introduction of ICE agents into airports creates contradictory missions, as attempts to question passengers about immigration status may distract them from ensuring airport security.
“There’s one solution that immediately solves the problem at our airports. Pay the people who are already trained to protect us from terror attacks today, especially as the war with Iran increases the desire to strike against Americans.
“Pay TSA Workers now.”
The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members in aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, rail, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across North America.
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