The government shutdown last month was one of the most difficult work-week for most of the TSAs. As they are considered essential workers, they had to come to work despite not receiving their salaries. After things went back to “normal,” Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, announced $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers who worked during the shutdown without pay.
On Saturday, Noem held a press conference in Las Vegas, where she handed out several bonus checks to 29 TSA employees who are stationed at Harry Reid International Airport. “Let’s hand out some checks, should we?” she said.
However, as it turns out, she was only making a show out of the whole thing, as those were not actual checks. The DHS Secretary clarified, “This is a document that verifies it will be directly deposited into your accounts, OK?”
Last week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced the $10,000 bonus checks before Noem.
On X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Santa’s coming to town a little early.”
“President Trump wanted to give air traffic controllers and technicians BONUSES for showing up to work EVERY DAY during the government shutdown… and TODAY IS THE DAY!”
Americans can be proud of TSA workers across the country who continued to serve with excellence throughout the shutdown—like these patriots at Logan Airport in Massachusetts—who went to great lengths to protect our country, care for their fellow Americans, and keep our nation… pic.twitter.com/fwPqlUoWKQ
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) November 16, 2025
He also added that 776 TSA employees would be receiving those bonuses, as he called them “patriotic men and women.” However, Union Officials complained that the number of employees who are getting those bonus checks is just 7 percent of the entire workforce who had to work without pay during the shutdown. Before the 43-day shutdown ended on November 12, thousands of employees across various airports in the United States had to “consistently report for duty,” despite not receiving their pay.
In addition to handing out the “fake” bonus check, the Noem also made another major announcement Saturday. She said her Department of Homeland Security will spend over $1 billion to expand airport security checkpoints across the nation, while also imposing better policies to ensure safety. In addition, security personnel will also receive additional training.
Americans can be proud of TSA workers across the country who continued to serve with excellence throughout the shutdown—like these patriots at @mspairport —who went to great lengths to protect our country, care for their fellow Americans, and keep our nation moving.
We are… pic.twitter.com/lhBvaM5qAk
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) November 23, 2025
“We know it is our responsibility to not only keep travelers safe, but also to make sure that we’re getting them to their locations safely and in a manner that is pleasant and an enjoyable experience for them and their families,” she said.
This announcement comes less than two weeks after the government shutdown, which stemmed from a dispute between Republicans and Democrats, ended. According to the BBC, the 43-day shutdown, which is the longest-ever in the US, forced at least 1.4 million federal employees to go without pay.
Although the shutdown has officially ended, experts say that it could take a few weeks before everything fully reopens.
