TSA says PreCheck will remain in operation despite earlier DHS plan to suspend lanes

(TNND) — On Sunday the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that its PreCheck program will remain operation despite an earlier announcement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that the airport security service would be suspended during the partial government shutdown.

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

It has not yet been made clear whether or not Global Entry, another airport function, would be affected by the partial shutdown.

In their statement TSA added that courtesy escorts, which are typically used for Members of Congress, have been suspended “to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies.”

This fallout comes as the federal government enters week two of a partial shutdown that began on February 14 after Democrats and Republicans were unable to reach a deal on legislation to fund the DHS.

Democrats have been advocating for changes to immigration operations that conflict with President Donald Trump’s broader immigration plan.

Previously, the DHS said it was taking “emergency measures to preserve limited funds,” and among those measures were “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.”

In a statement on Saturday night, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that “shutdowns have real world consequences.”

Not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a pay check, but it endangers our national security. The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians,” Noem added, blaming Democrats for the DHS shut down.

Both PreCheck and Global Entry airport services are designed to speed registered travelers through security lines. Democrats criticized the initial announcement on Saturday night, accusing the administration of distracting from other issues.

“This administration is trying to weaponize our government, trying to make things intentionally more difficult for the American people as a political leverage,” Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) told CNN on Sunday. “And the American people see that.”