The Global Entry travel program has been restored, the Trump administration said Wednesday, after it was paused in February amid the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
A DHS spokesperson said that Global Entry was reactivated as of 5 a.m. EDT Wednesday.
Geoff Freeman, the president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said the organization welcomed the decision to resume the program.
“Over the last two weeks, the travel industry has been clear about the role programs like Global Entry and TSA PreCheck play in both security and efficiency,” Freeman said. “Through outreach to members of Congress and administration officials, collaboration across the travel sector, and strong public engagement, we highlighted a simple reality: Trusted Traveler Programs enhance security while keeping travel moving.”
DHS announced in February that Global Entry and the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program would both be suspended amid the partial shutdown. DHS quickly backtracked on the PreCheck decision and resumed the service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers normally assigned to process Global Entry travelers were reassigned to process other arriving travelers, CBS News previously reported.
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TSA PreCheck is a membership program that allows travelers to undergo a more streamlined security process after submitting an application, undergoing a background check and paying a fee. Only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are eligible. As of 2024, the program had more than 20 million enrollees. Global Entry is a similar program, designed for international travel, and available to citizens of the U.S. and nearly two dozen other countries. Neither program was suspended during the historic 43-day shutdown in 2025.
The partial shutdown has been in effect since Feb. 14 after lawmakers failed to reach a deal on DHS funding. Democrats have demanded changes to the agency in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.
The shutdown is affecting the TSA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and other agencies within DHS. About 13% of the total federal civilian workforce is affected.
Unscheduled absences among airport security officers have more than doubled during the shutdown as workers go without pay, CBS News previously reported. More than 300 employees have also left the agency since the start of the partial shutdown. Some airports have seen hourslong security lines. TSA officers will miss their first full paycheck on Friday, raising concerns that callouts may increase.