On November 14, 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that certain Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents would receive $10,000 bonuses for their service during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. This shutdown, which lasted 43 days, resulted in widespread disruptions at airports, including canceled flights and unpaid workers.

The bonuses were presented at a press conference at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, where Noem recognized the efforts of specific TSA agents, including Reiko Walker and Ashley Richardson, who maintained perfect attendance during the shutdown. The TSA employs approximately 65,000 individuals, with over 50,000 serving as transportation security officers. However, the bonuses will only be awarded to a select group of agents deemed to have gone 'above and beyond' during this period, raising questions about the treatment of other federal employees who also faced challenges, such as air traffic controllers.

According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) post, around 47,000 frontline TSA officers continued their duties throughout the shutdown. A White House official indicated that the bonuses would be distributed to 'several thousand' agents based on high performance evaluations from their supervisors. The funding for these bonuses is sourced from carryover funds from fiscal year 2025, as confirmed by an internal memo from DHS.

While TSA agents are set to receive back pay on November 19, the decision to limit bonuses to this group has sparked discussions about equity among federal employees. President Donald Trump had previously suggested that air traffic controllers might also receive bonuses for their continued service during the shutdown. On average, TSA agents earn about $62,000 annually, a notable increase from the approximately $43,000 they earned in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The previous government shutdown in 2019 led to a significant number of TSA workers leaving for other jobs with comparable pay, highlighting ongoing workforce retention issues within federal positions.