Global Entry halted as Homeland Security shutdown drags on

Anabelle Colaco
24 Feb 2026, 15:21 GMT+10

The Department of Homeland Security said February 22 that it was suspending the Global Entry program for the duration of the partial government shutdown, adding to travel disruptions as a funding standoff in Washington stretches into its second week
The department initially said a day earlier that it would also shut down the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program, but later reversed that decision and kept PreCheck operating
The disruption stems from a partial government shutdown that began February 14 after Democrats and the White House failed to reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security

DALLAS, Texas: The Department of Homeland Security said February 22 that it was suspending the Global Entry program for the duration of the partial government shutdown, adding to travel disruptions as a funding standoff in Washington stretches into its second week.

The department initially said a day earlier that it would also shut down the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program, but later reversed that decision and kept PreCheck operating.

"As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case-by-case basis and adjust operations accordingly," the agency said.

The disruption stems from a partial government shutdown that began February 14 after Democrats and the White House failed to reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are seeking changes to immigration operations central to President Donald Trump's deportation campaign.

The timing compounded travel challenges as a major winter storm was forecast to hit the East Coast. Nine out of 10 departing flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Boston Logan Airport were canceled on February 23.

Global Entry, run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to use expedited kiosks when entering the United States from abroad. While the government does not publish official time-savings data, travel industry experts estimate that Global Entry reduces wait times in regular lines from 30 to 90 minutes to roughly 5 to 10 minutes.

Global Entry members are also eligible for TSA PreCheck. DHS said in 2024 that more than 20 million Americans had TSA PreCheck memberships, with millions overlapping with Global Entry.

Through midday on February 22, airport security lines appeared largely unaffected, with most international airports reporting wait times under 15 minutes, according to TSA's mobile app.

Blair Perkins, 39, of Dallas, said she learned about the Global Entry suspension before leaving Cancun. After arriving at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, she found the standard customs line long but moving steadily.

"We went around about four or five different corners to get to the end of the U.S. line," she said.

With Global Entry, clearing customs usually takes less than five minutes, she said. On Sunday, it took about 30 minutes.

Perkins called the situation frustrating. "It feels like Washington is using travelers as a pawn to try to, I guess, persuade the other side to do what they want," she said.

DHS previously said it was implementing "emergency measures to preserve limited funds," including "ending Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck lanes and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Global Entry service, to refocus Department personnel on the majority of travelers."

"We are glad that DHS has decided to keep PreCheck operational and avoid a crisis of its own making," said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

Before the PreCheck reversal, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, "shutdowns have serious real-world consequences." She also said courtesy airport escorts for members of Congress would be suspended during the shutdown.

Jean Fay, 54, said she encountered no issues using TSA PreCheck at Baltimore airport for her early flight to Texas on February 22. She only learned about the shutdown while changing planes in Austin.

"When I landed in Austin, I started getting the alerts," she said.

Airlines for America, which represents major carriers, urged Congress to resolve the impasse, saying "it's past time for Congress to get to the table and get a deal done." The group criticized the initial announcement as being made "with extremely short notice to travelers, giving them little time to plan accordingly."

"A4A is deeply concerned that TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs are being suspended and that the traveling public will be, once again, used as a political football amid another government shutdown," it said.

Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security accused the administration of "kneecapping the programs that make travel smoother and secure."

Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, told CNN: "This administration is trying to weaponize our government, trying to make things intentionally more difficult for the American people as a political leverage. And the American people see that."