Global Entry Took A Hit In Early 2026. Here's What Travelers Need To Know

If you're entering the United States anytime soon, you'll likely want to double-check your connection time at your port of entry. Due to the recent partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Global Entry trusted traveler program has recently been suspended, with little notice and no active timeline on when it will be reinstated. Per a DHS press release, "As of 6:00 am on February 22, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations will halt all Global Entry arrival processing at participating airports." The agency has claimed it is taking "emergency measures to preserve limited funds and personnel to mitigate the national security and public safety damage at the hands of Congressional Democrats." 

As roughly 13 million travelers worldwide use Global Entry, this will likely slow down arrivals into the U.S for all, due to Global Entry kiosks being closed and longer lines at the port of entry. All travelers will now have to pass through manual immigration screening. The DHS stated that CBP officers who normally worked the Global Entry kiosks will be shuffled to roles manually processing travelers into the country. Global Entry holders — whether U.S. citizens, permanent residents (Green Card holders), or visitors to the U.S. — will now have to join designated lines for screening. When lines are long, Global Entry has been noted to save up to an hour at busy international airports, including these three mega hubs with the most non-stop flights.

There may be a possible workaround using the DHS Mobile Passport Control app, which normally saves travelers time. At the time of publication, there is no official word about whether the app will be shut down.

Global Entry members catching a connecting flight, or travelers catching a flight to the most beautiful cities in the U.S., can breathe a sigh of relief — for now. While it initially looked like all travelers would have to separate their electronics and take out their toiletries for the foreseeable future, the DHS has not suspended the TSA PreCheck program. At the time of writing, TSA PreCheck lanes are still up and running as normal at airports across the country. However, the DHS notes that it will continue to monitor the ongoing situation and may make changes to screening for the general public as the shutdown continues. If you're catching a flight soon, prepare for a longer, slower-moving security line, plan ahead, and be sure to stay abreast of what is happening at your airport. You can check the current TSA wait times on the MyTSA app.

As you go through the security line, remember that while the shutdown is stressful for travelers, it is also stressful for TSA employees as well. Similar to the last government shutdown last fall that lasted over a month, frontline TSA employees who are determined to be essential are working without pay. Be polite, civil, and keep in mind that even if the officers aren't being paid, they'll still be doing their jobs — make sure you're avoiding these behaviors that the TSA watches out for.