DHS to halt PreCheck and Global Entry programs amid shutdown

Myles Miller and Audrey Wan

Updated Sun, February 22, 2026 at 11:03 PM GMT+9 3 min read

(Bloomberg) — The US Department of Homeland Security will temporarily pause two programs that speed up some travelers’ progress through airports, citing the ongoing funding shutdown.

Starting Sunday at 6 a.m. Eastern time, the Transportation Security Administration will suspend the operations of PreCheck lanes and all travelers will be directed to general screening lines. The agency will also pause airport police escorts for members of Congress and other expedited services, and DHS will suspend all non-disaster related responses.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Private Prisons Face an Existential Threat Under Trump's New Detention Plan

How Zoning Won

A Shaker Revival Points to Something Deeper Than a Trad Obsession

White House Ballroom Design Approved by Trump Commission After One Hearing

Additionally, travelers enrolled in the Global Entry program will no longer use dedicated lanes when entering the US, DHS said in a statement.

The agency said US citizens and lawful permanent residents who are Global Entry members should proceed to the clearly marked primary processing lanes, while all others members should use the visitor lanes.

Officers previously assigned to process Global Entry passengers will be reassigned to assist with all arriving travelers, the agency said.

Funding for DHS lapsed a week ago, sending the department into a shutdown, after US lawmakers deadlocked on a spending bill ahead of a Feb. 13 deadline. Democrats have demanded new limits on immigration enforcement, which have been rejected by the White House and Republican leaders in Congress.

“We are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.

So far, the visible effects of the shutdown have been limited, since more than 90% of DHS employees are deemed essential and continue to work, though without pay. Disruptions are expected to grow over time, but the latest DHS moves appear aimed at increasing pressure on Congress to fund the department.

“This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games,” Democrat Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement. “TSA PreCheck and Global Entry reduce airport lines and ease the burden on DHS staff who are working without pay because of Trump’s abuse of the Department and killing of American citizens.”

Snow Preparation

As a powerful blizzard bears down on the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said it will suspend all non-disaster related activities and shift to emergency operating status without congressional funding.

Story continues  

The agency said it’s pausing non-emergency recovery work, including long-term rebuilding efforts, project development and planning that don’t address an imminent threat. New initiatives and discretionary programs are suspended, and travel and deployments are restricted to personnel responding to active disasters and life safety emergencies.

“This is particularly important given this weekend another significant winter storm is forecast to impact the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States,” Noem said.

The nor’easter is expected to bring strong wind gusts, whiteout conditions and up to 18 inches of snow to New York City, with heavier totals possible farther east. About 30 million people are under blizzard warnings, and more than 1,000 flights have already been grounded.

Democrats and Republicans remain far apart on funding for the DHS, a White House official said last week. The impasse was touched off by a backlash against the Trump administration’s widespread and aggressive immigration enforcement raids.

With Congress on a recess and no agreement in sight, the funding lapse could last for weeks.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

Supreme Court’s Tariff Ruling Is Secretly a Gift to Trump

How Jerome Powell Is Trump-Proofing the Fed

The Georgia Pastor Accused of Defrauding the VA of Nearly $24 Million

Millennials Melted Their Brains With Screens. Their Kids Want None of It

Why It’s So Hard to Tax Trillionaires

©2026 Bloomberg L.P.

Terms and Privacy Policy

Privacy Dashboard

More Info