February 23, 2026 Team Contibutor
If you were counting on your NEXUS card to fast-track you through Toronto Pearson this weekend, you had a rough Sunday morning. The trusted traveller lane at YYZ was closed, and what unfolded south of the border explains why.
The US Department of Homeland Security dropped a Sunday morning bombshell: both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry were being suspended effective 6 a.m. ET, citing a partial government shutdown.
These are America’s two most relied-upon expedited travel programs. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem framed it as a painful but necessary call, saying TSA and CBP were “prioritising the general travelling population at our airports and ports of entry.”
Together, the two programs cover more than 40 million vetted airline passengers. Pulling the plug on both, with virtually no notice, sent shockwaves through airports on both sides of the border.
By mid-morning, there was a partial reversal. TSA quietly walked back the PreCheck suspension, telling CNN it would “evaluate on a case-by-case basis and adjust operations” as staffing changes warranted. Global Entry, however, remains paused. Consider the reversal a stay of execution, not a resolution.
Why the shutdown logic falls apart
Here’s what makes this more than a routine political standoff. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry aren’t a burden on screening staff. Actually, it offloads them. PreCheck lanes process passengers faster than standard lanes.
Global Entry clears travellers largely through automated kiosks. Suspending both programs doesn’t free up screeners. It betrays the very purpose of efficient public handling. Ironically,it funnels everyone into the same bottleneck.
The travel industry didn’t mince words. The US Travel Association said it was “disgusted” that travellers were being used as political collateral. Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu called the announcement a political football, adding it was “issued with extremely short notice to travellers, giving them little time to plan accordingly.”
Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee accused DHS of “ruining your travel on purpose.” Even if we keep the politics aside, the math simply doesn’t work in Noem’s favour.
What’s actually behind the shutdown
The partial shutdown affects DHS only after Congress failed to reach a funding deal. Democrats have pushed for new restrictions on ICE and CBP following the fatal shooting of two US citizens by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.
Republicans didn’t agree. Instead, they are pressing for stricter enforcement against sanctuary cities. Surprisingly, some 63,000 TSA agents are reporting to work without a paycheque, bearing the brunt of funding lapses.
What this means for Canadians
For Canadian travellers, this hits closest through NEXUS, which is jointly run by CBSA and US Customs and Border Protection. It wore a dark look at Toronto Pearson on Sunday morning. With Global Entry still suspended and TSA PreCheck operating on a day-to-day basis, NEXUS is caught in the crossfire of a dispute that Canada had no part in creating.
This isn’t the first time American political gridlock has closed Canadian airport fast lanes. It won’t be the last. We think it’s high time for decision-makers to give serious thought to the idea of building our own trusted-traveller infrastructure, rather than treating it as an abstract policy debate.
An ecosystem that doesn’t have to necessarily depend on Washington’s budget negotiations. It looks like a practical necessity now.
What to do right now
If you’re flying through Pearson or any Canadian airport to the US this week, build in at least 45 minutes. Do not assume NEXUS or Global Entry lanes are operating. Check the CBSA website and your airline app before leaving for the airport. Confirmed NEXUS closures have already been reported at YYZ, and where Toronto leads, other Canadian airports typically follow.
Washington’s political fights have always had consequences for Canadians at the border. This weekend, those consequences showed up in the security line.
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