DHS leaders are warning that a lapse in federal funding could quickly compound workforce losses at the Transportation Security Administration and push back a major Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency rule aimed at standardizing cyber incident reporting across critical infrastructure.
- TSA attrition risk: DHS officials said a shutdown could worsen TSA’s ongoing attrition, as employees face delayed pay and uncertainty, potentially affecting screening operations and staffing stability, according to Federal News Network’s reporting.
- CISA rule delay: DHS warned that a shutdown could slow implementation of CISA’s cyber incident reporting rule, a requirement stemming from the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA), Federal News Network reported.
- Operational impacts: DHS outlined broader readiness concerns if appropriations lapse, including disruption to planning, program execution, and other mission support functions that underpin security operations, according to the department’s statements cited by Federal News Network.
- Security and continuity: Officials emphasized that while certain functions would continue under shutdown contingency plans, a funding gap would still degrade operational tempo and administrative capacity across components, Federal News Network reported.
Brief context: DHS has been working to stabilize frontline staffing and maintain operational readiness while also meeting statutory cybersecurity deadlines. TSA has faced persistent workforce challenges in recent years, and DHS officials told Federal News Network that another shutdown could accelerate departures or discourage retention at a time when the agency relies on consistent staffing to meet passenger screening demands.
On cybersecurity, CISA is implementing CIRCIA, which requires certain covered entities to report significant cyber incidents to the federal government under a standardized framework. DHS officials warned that a shutdown could interrupt the staffing and coordination needed to finalize and roll out the reporting rule, potentially delaying compliance timelines and slowing CISA’s ability to operationalize the program, according to Federal News Network.
For federal employees and service members who interact with DHS systems and services, DHS’s warning signals two near-term risks if funding lapses: (1) frontline staffing gaps could ripple into traveler processing and security support functions, and (2) cyber reporting policy milestones could slip, delaying clarity for regulated entities and partners on what incidents must be reported, when, and how.
For background on shutdown mechanics and what continues during a lapse in appropriations, see FedBrief’s shutdown explainer: https://fedbrief.org/ (search “shutdown”).
Source: Federal News Network, “DHS officials warn about shutdown impacts” (Feb. 2026), https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-shutdown/2026/02/dhs-officials-warn-about-shutdown-impacts/