A week-long funding impasse that shuttered large parts of the Department of Homeland Security is rippling through the mobility ecosystem. On Friday, Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) led 12 lawmakers in urging President Trump to guarantee the next pay-cheque for 41,000 active-duty and reserve Coast Guard members. Unlike the Army or Navy, the Coast Guard’s budget runs through DHS, leaving service members unpaid during shutdowns.
Although fee-funded agencies such as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services continue to operate, appropriated components—including parts of the Transportation Security Administration—face staffing strains. If the stalemate drags past mid-March, up to 50,000 TSA officers could also miss pay, raising the risk of absenteeism at airports just as spring-break travel peaks.
![Partial DHS Shutdown Threatens Coast Guard Pay and Could Hit TSA Next, Lawmakers Warn]()
Amid these uncertainties, travelers and employers can lean on VisaHQ to secure any required travel visas or passport renewals ahead of time. The company’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers expedited processing, real-time status updates, and expert guidance, giving passengers one less variable to worry about should airport operations falter.
For corporate travel managers, the immediate impact is limited, but contingency planning is advised. During the 2019 shutdown, unscheduled TSA absences doubled, causing wait times of more than an hour at major hubs. Companies with time-critical travel—film crews, medical-device installers, on-site auditors—should identify alternative routing and build buffer days into project timelines.
House Democrats say they will not pass a continuing resolution unless Republicans agree to curb ICE workplace raids and impose body-camera mandates; the White House insists enforcement authority is non-negotiable. Until a deal emerges, uncertainty over essential-worker staffing could complicate both passenger and cargo movements through U.S. gateways.
Although fee-funded agencies such as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services continue to operate, appropriated components—including parts of the Transportation Security Administration—face staffing strains. If the stalemate drags past mid-March, up to 50,000 TSA officers could also miss pay, raising the risk of absenteeism at airports just as spring-break travel peaks.
Amid these uncertainties, travelers and employers can lean on VisaHQ to secure any required travel visas or passport renewals ahead of time. The company’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers expedited processing, real-time status updates, and expert guidance, giving passengers one less variable to worry about should airport operations falter.
For corporate travel managers, the immediate impact is limited, but contingency planning is advised. During the 2019 shutdown, unscheduled TSA absences doubled, causing wait times of more than an hour at major hubs. Companies with time-critical travel—film crews, medical-device installers, on-site auditors—should identify alternative routing and build buffer days into project timelines.
House Democrats say they will not pass a continuing resolution unless Republicans agree to curb ICE workplace raids and impose body-camera mandates; the White House insists enforcement authority is non-negotiable. Until a deal emerges, uncertainty over essential-worker staffing could complicate both passenger and cargo movements through U.S. gateways.
