Global Entry Suspension
Global Entry is an American Trusted Traveller Program that pre-verified international travellers with faster immigration and customs clearance when returning to the United States. Global Entry suspension means this facility is temporarily shut down, and eligible members cannot currently benefit from it.
Global Entry aims to provide expedited processing for travellers who have already passed security and background checks. With this program, there is typically a reduction of long lines at immigration, faster entry through biometrics, and significant time savings. In normal circumstances, customs processing with Global Entry is completed in just a few minutes.
The primary reason for temporarily halting Global Entry is the partial shutdown of the U.S. government. Because DHS (Department of Homeland Security) does not receive full funding, it must limit its resources. In such situations, priority is given to airport security and essential services, and facilities like Global Entry are temporarily suspended.
During the Global Entry suspension, Global Entry kiosks cannot be used, and existing members cannot use the fast-track immigration. New applications and interviews may also be affected, meaning travellers who are already Global Entry members may still have to stand in the regular immigration line.
Global Entry is not permanently closed; the suspension is temporary. As soon as DHS receives full funding again and the government shutdown ends, Global Entry services can gradually resume.
Usually, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are linked, but they are separate programs. The suspension of Global Entry does not imply that TSA PreCheck is necessarily closed. In this situation, TSA PreCheck has been kept active to ensure domestic air travel security is not compromised.
Global Entry TSA PreCheck Shutdown
In the United States, the legislative body responsible for the budget is Congress (consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate). This time, the shutdown affected the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) because its budget could not be passed on time. Several travel and security programs under DHS were impacted.
Global Entry is a trusted traveller program created for international travellers. It provides pre-verified travellers with faster immigration and customs clearance when returning to America. Where normal processing can take 30–90 minutes, Global Entry can complete the process in just a few minutes.
TSA PreCheck is mainly designed to speed up airport security checks. In this program, travellers do not need to remove shoes, belts, or laptops, and long lines are avoided. It is mostly used for domestic flights.
Because of the government shutdown, DHS had to limit its resources. Initially, it was announced that Global Entry and TSA PreCheck would be temporarily paused to allow staff to focus on essential security tasks with reduced personnel. After this announcement, travel industry stakeholders, airlines, and travellers reacted strongly because there was concern about crowding and delays at airports.
Given the pressure and circumstances, DHS reversed its decision. TSA PreCheck was kept active for now to ensure domestic flights’ security checks remained fully functioning. However, some airports might see minor changes based on staff availability.
Contrary to TSA PreCheck, Global Entry has been temporarily halted. This means that travellers already enrolled in Global Entry may still have to pass through regular immigration lines for now. Until DHS receives full funding again or the shutdown ends, Global Entry services may remain limited or paused.
International Travelers – With Global Entry closed, waiting times at immigration in the United States may increase.
Domestic Travelers – With TSA PreCheck active, most travelers should experience relief.
Airports – Some large airports may see increased crowding, especially during peak travel times.
TSA PreCheck Homeland
TSA PreCheck is an American Trusted Traveller Program created to speed up and simplify security checks during air travel. Travellers enrolled in this program get relief from long lines at airport security checkpoints and complete security screening in less time compared to regular passengers.
Under TSA PreCheck, travellers receive several benefits, such as not having to remove shoes, belts, or jackets, and not having to take laptops or liquids out of bags. There are separate and faster security lines, and security checks typically complete in about 5–10 minutes. This is why business travellers and frequent fliers particularly favour this program.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the principal agency responsible for U.S. security. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operates under DHS. This means that the policies, operations, and budget of TSA PreCheck are directly connected to Homeland Security.
Under normal circumstances, TSA PreCheck is not completely shut down. However, in certain situations, it can be paused, such as during staff shortages or local airport resource issues, which may cause PreCheck lanes to be limited or temporarily closed at some airports. These decisions are made at the local level rather than for the entire country.
Is Clear Affected by TSA Shutdown
CLEAR is a private biometric identification service that speeds up passenger identification at the airport. In CLEAR, a passenger’s identity is verified instantly through facial recognition or fingerprint scans, helping them skip long identity-check lines. Importantly, CLEAR is not a government agency; it is a private company.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a government agency in the United States that handles airport security and operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CLEAR does not replace TSA. CLEAR only speeds up identity verification, but the actual security screening is still conducted by TSA.
When there is a government shutdown in the United States, and DHS does not receive full funding, some government services can be affected. TSA is generally considered an essential service, so it does not shut down completely.
Travellers should keep a few things in mind: arrive at the airport early, don’t rely completely on CLEAR, and prepare mentally for TSA PreCheck or the regular security line. Also, check the airport’s live status.
CLEAR is a private service, so it isn’t directly affected by a TSA shutdown, but CLEAR is still dependent on TSA. If TSA processes are slow, the benefit of CLEAR may be limited. At some airports, CLEAR lanes can be temporarily affected, and the final security screening always remains under TSA control.
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is based on the situation as of February 24, 2026. Government policies and program statuses (including Global Entry and TSA PreCheck) can change rapidly during a funding lapse. Travelers are strongly encouraged to verify current status and wait times directly via the official DHS.gov, CBP.gov, or TSA.gov websites before heading to the airport.
