TSA says PreCheck is open after DHS says it’s closed

• The Department of Homeland Security said it was temporarily shutting down TSA PreCheck and Global Entry.
• These expedited programs allow approved members to move through airports faster.
• Some PreCheck lines remained operational after the 6 am ET deadline.

Federal officials said they suspended TSA PreCheck and Global Entry Sunday morning at 6 a.m. ET, but in many US airports, the lanes remained open past the deadline.

The Department of Homeland Security said on Saturday night that it would shut down the expedited airport security and immigration lanes due to the partial government shutdown, which left the department without funding.

The Transportation Security Administration, which operates PreCheck, said otherwise: “At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public,” a TSA spokesperson said. “As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly.”

Social media posts show that PreCheck lanes were still operating at major airports, including Minneapolis, Washington, DC, and Orlando, after the 6 a.m. cutoff.

Both programs are widely used by frequent flyers and business travelers. DHS said passengers with active memberships will be able to fly using standard security or immigration lines.

If the lanes close, wait times at airports could increase significantly. CLEAR, a separate, privately run expedited checkpoint, appears to be operating.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the agency is “making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions” and prioritizing the “general traveling population” at airports.

“Without appropriations, TSA simply cannot afford to risk overstretching our staff and weakening our security posture,” she added.

The lanes would reopen once the agency secures funding, DHS said.

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The news comes as airports are bracing for chaos with a winter storm expected to ground planes across the Northeast through Tuesday. Airlines like JetBlue and Delta have preemptively said some flights in the region will be canceled and have offered travel waivers to affected flyers.

TSA and customs agents are considered essential employees and are working without pay during the partial shutdown, as they did for 43 days during the full shutdown in October.

TSA PreCheck allows approved travelers to keep shoes and jackets on and leave laptops and liquids in bags, while Global Entry provides expedited passport control when returning to the US from abroad.