Pupil Journey Plans Affected by DHS Shutdown

When she went residence to Oklahoma for spring break, Valery Gutierrez, a freshman in American University’s School of International Service and School of Communication, couldn’t have predicted her return to Washington, D.C. would take for much longer than ordinary.

However, strains at Transportation Security Administration would pressure Gutierrez to overlook her flight again. To make issues worse, her ticket was nonrefundable, forcing her to buy a second ticket. 

Gutierrez wasn’t alone: a partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14 has rendered the Department of Homeland Security and its companies, like TSA, unfunded and inoperational. As weeks cross with seemingly no deal in sight, vacationers like Gutierrez surprise when normalcy will return to American airports. 

In November 2025, the federal government completely shut down for 43 days — the longest interval in historical past. Disagreement over funding put Congress in a stalemate till six Democrats signed onto the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Extensions Act. 

Lawmakers’ record-breaking streak has continued in 2026: What started as a February funding lapse for DHS has since manifested into the longest authorities shutdown in historical past, partial or full. Still, House Republicans continue to reject laws their Senate counterparts try and cross. 

From Feb. 14 till March 30, TSA staff went and not using a paycheck. 

Airports throughout the nation reported longer wait instances and delays, elevating considerations about staffing shortages nationwide. This immediately impacts college students who depend on strict tutorial schedules, particularly worldwide college students who guide flights months upfront on restricted budgets, as uncertainty like this may disrupt summer season and private journey plans. 

“The prices are going to keep surging and the insecurity over traveling is going to keep rising,” Gutierrez mentioned. 

Nonetheless, she mentioned the mixture of delays and rising prices makes her really feel like flying has turn into much less dependable when she strikes off-campus for summer season break.     

“I’m still in between my travel plans,” Gutierrez mentioned. “I’m pretty sure I’m just going to drive back.” 

Though Gutierrez could have discovered an alternate answer for unreliable journey, not all college students have the identical luxurious. 

Hoai Gia Han Nguyen, a freshman within the Kogod School of Business, mentioned she had already booked her flight again to Vietnam however turned anxious about potential cancellations.

“We have the exact day for finals and I plan for the day to return which makes it hard for me to change something,” Nguyen mentioned.

Nguyen added that if delays or safety concerns worsen, canceling stands out as the solely choice. 

For Washington College of Law pupil Ruth Chi, hindrances to journey aren’t the one concern. 

“I don’t think anybody should have to show up to work and work for free,” Chi mentioned.

During spring break, Chi traveled to Puerto Rico. To her, delays had been noticeably completely different compared to her earlier journey experiences. Chi added that the prolonged wait instances mixed with extra safety procedures made her extra hesitant to fly within the close to future.

Chi additionally mentioned the monetary pressure of working for an unsure, irregular paycheck may have broader implications for airport operations and morale. 

“People are choosing between showing up to work and working another job so they can feed their family,” Chi mentioned.

Nguyen mentioned the TSA problems and their relation to the federal government shutdown go away him involved with how politicians from either side of the aisle are appearing with out contemplating how on a regular basis individuals are impacted.   

“It feels like people are playing politics at the expense of ordinary travel,” Nguyen mentioned.

This article was edited by Gabrielle McNamee, Payton Anderson and Walker Whalen. Copy modifying accomplished by Avery Grossman, Paige Caron, Mattie Lupo and Ava Stuzin. Fact-checking accomplished by Andrew Kummeth and Luca Palma Poth.

localnews@theeagleonline.com