--- title: Global Entry Program Restarted as Delays Mount Amid DHS Shutdown description: The effects of the shutdown are being felt by airports and travelers around the U.S. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/03/11/air-travel-flight-delays-dhs-shutdown-global-entry-tsa/ author: Chantelle Lee article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-03-11T23:11:43.702Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-19T07:44:53.413Z article:section: U.S. og:title: Global Entry Program Restarted as Delays Mount Amid DHS Shutdown og:description: The effects of the shutdown are being felt by airports and travelers around the U.S. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/03/11/air-travel-flight-delays-dhs-shutdown-global-entry-tsa/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd5820c13fead0a41/69b1e8b22230c56422fb51e7/airport-delays-global-entry-air-travel-dhs-shutdown.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: airport-delays-global-entry-air-travel-dhs-shutdown.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Global Entry Program Restarted as Delays Mount Amid DHS Shutdown twitter:description: The effects of the shutdown are being felt by airports and travelers around the U.S. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd5820c13fead0a41/69b1e8b22230c56422fb51e7/airport-delays-global-entry-air-travel-dhs-shutdown.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Global Entry Program Restarted as Delays Mount Amid DHS Shutdown: Here’s What Travelers Should Know by [Chantelle Lee](/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Mar 11, 2026 11:11 PM CUT  People wait in long TSA lines at airports like Chicago O'Hare on March 09, 2026 as the partial government shutdown continues. People wait in long TSA lines at airports like Chicago O'Hare on March 09, 2026 as the partial government shutdown continues.Peter Zay—Anadolu/Getty Images by [Chantelle Lee](/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Mar 11, 2026 11:11 PM CUT The Trump Administration has reactivated the Global Entry program as it works to mitigate widespread air travel disruptions, more than two weeks after [pausing](https://time.com/7380367/pre-check-global-entry-suspended-dhs/ "undefined") the program because of the ongoing partial government shutdown. Global Entry, which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says [allows](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry "undefined") “pre-approved, low-risk travelers” to go through an expedited clearance process when arriving in the U.S., was [halted](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/02/22/1-week-democrats-shutdown-dhs-implements-emergency-measures-conserve-resources-and "undefined") on the morning of Feb. 22 and restarted at 5 a.m. ET on Wednesday, a DHS spokesperson confirmed to TIME. The spokesperson said that the department was able to resume the service “as DHS continually evaluates measures it can take amidst” the lapse in federal funding. “We are working hard to alleviate the disruptions to travelers caused by the Democrats’ shutdown,” the spokesperson told TIME in a statement. DHS has been shut down [since Feb. 14](https://time.com/7378601/government-shutdown-congress-ice-dhs-democrats-polls/ "undefined"), after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on legislation to provide funding for the department amid a standoff over immigration enforcement. Congressional Democrats refused to back a funding bill for DHS unless the agency introduced [significant new guardrails](https://time.com/7358586/government-shutdown-democrat-demands-ice/ "undefined") on federal immigration agents. The White House and many Republicans, meanwhile, contended that the reforms that Democrats are calling for would hinder the Trump Administration’s efforts to crack down on immigration. Democrats’ demands came after federal officers [shot and killed two U.S. citizens](https://time.com/7368923/minneapolis-ice-operation-protests-renee-good-alex-pretti/ "undefined") in Minneapolis in January, sparking protests and outrage over the Administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. Just a few months before the ongoing DHS shutdown, the full federal government shut down for [the longest period in the country’s history](https://time.com/7331167/longest-government-shutdown-history/ "undefined"), wreaking havoc for many Americans. Thousands of federal workers were [furloughed](https://time.com/7322026/shutdown-federal-workers-furloughed/ "undefined") or continued working for weeks [without pay](https://time.com/7329683/government-shutdown-flight-delays-cancellations-air-traffick-controllers-pay/ "undefined"). Hundreds of flights were [canceled](https://time.com/7331645/flight-cuts-delays-airports-united-states-government-shutdown/ "undefined") or [delayed](https://time.com/7331811/flight-cancellations-government-shutdown-cuts-delays/ "undefined") amid airport staffing shortages. The impact of the current shutdown isn’t as extensive, since other federal agencies have been funded. But DHS houses many workers tied to air travel, and effects of the lapsed funding are being felt by airports and travelers around the country. Here’s what to know. ## Why was Global Entry paused? DHS said in a [press release](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/02/22/1-week-democrats-shutdown-dhs-implements-emergency-measures-conserve-resources-and "undefined") last month that it had to “take emergency measures to preserve limited funds and personnel to mitigate the national security and public safety damage” amid the partial shutdown, which the agency blamed on congressional Democrats. The department said that officers typically assigned to manage the Global Entry program would be reassigned to process all other travelers arriving into the U.S. ## Is air travel being disrupted because of the partial shutdown? The current DHS shutdown has so far not led to as many disruptions to air travel as last year’s shutdown, and it’s unlikely to do so even as it continues to drag on. In that previous, more extensive government shutdown, airports across the country grappled with a shortage of air traffic controllers. But Congress has already approved a bill funding the agency that houses air traffic controllers, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The partial shutdown, though, is leading to staffing shortages among TSA agents at some airports, which can lead to long security lines. Over the weekend, many travelers reported long security wait times at several airports in the U.S. At the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, the estimated wait time for security was three hours for a period on Sunday evening, [The Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/airports-long-lines-tsa-be150ad677e71fe5fd5fecf57ba12a52 "undefined") reported. The wait time for security was only around 10 minutes as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the airport’s [website](https://fly2houston.com/hou/security/ "undefined"). But [an advisory](https://www.fly2houston.com/hou/alerts/ "undefined") on the site cautions that the partial shutdown “is impacting TSA staffing” and that “passengers may experience longer-than-normal wait times.” It recommended that travelers arrive early to the airport in case of long security lines. On Sunday, the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana warned in a [post on X that](https://x.com/flyneworleans/status/2030769765304717732 "undefined") waits for security screening could last as long as two hours. On Monday, the airport said in a [post on X](https://x.com/flyneworleans/status/2031116541702377624 "undefined") that, while wait times had improved since the weekend chaos, “the situation remains fluid.” The airport advised travelers to arrive two hours before their flight was scheduled to take off, and cautioned that these disruptions could continue throughout the week. “Due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown, there continues to be a shortage of TSA workers at the security checkpoint at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport,” the airport said. “Wait times may fluctuate from 15 minutes to up to an hour, depending on the time of day.” ## Is TSA PreCheck open? Yes. Last month, DHS said it would suspend [TSA PreCheck](https://time.com/7380367/pre-check-global-entry-suspended-dhs/ "undefined"), along with Global Entry, because of the partial shutdown. But the department quickly backtracked, and reactivated the program. ## What should I do to prepare for my flight? Before leaving for the airport, you should check with your airline to see if your flight is experiencing any delays or if it’s been canceled. It’s a good idea to arrive at the airport earlier than you normally would, in case there are long security lines. You can also check the social media page of the airport you’re flying out of; oftentimes, airports will make posts if travelers there are experiencing disruptions or delays. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/03/11/air-travel-flight-delays-dhs-shutdown-global-entry-tsa/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/03/11/air-travel-flight-delays-dhs-shutdown-global-entry-tsa/"},"headline":"Global Entry Program Restarted as Delays Mount Amid DHS Shutdown: Here’s What Travelers Should Know","datePublished":"2026-03-11T23:11:43.702Z","dateModified":"2026-05-19T07:44:53.413Z","description":"The effects of the shutdown are being felt by airports and travelers around the U.S.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/03/11/air-travel-flight-delays-dhs-shutdown-global-entry-tsa/","keywords":["Transportation","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd5820c13fead0a41/69b1e8b22230c56422fb51e7/airport-delays-global-entry-air-travel-dhs-shutdown.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chantelle Lee","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd5820c13fead0a41/69b1e8b22230c56422fb51e7/airport-delays-global-entry-air-travel-dhs-shutdown.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"airport-delays-global-entry-air-travel-dhs-shutdown.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Peter Zay—Anadolu/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/transportation/","name":"Transportation"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/03/11/air-travel-flight-delays-dhs-shutdown-global-entry-tsa/","name":"Global Entry Program Restarted as Delays Mount Amid DHS Shutdown: Here’s What Travelers Should Know"}}]}] ```