>> Transportation Security Administration agents are caught in the crossfire of a federal debate over reform.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

It's left agents without pay since February 14th, following the partial government shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security with congressional Democrats demanding Republicans agreed to a set of reforms and no end game in sight.

Americans are bracing for spring break season without a fully funded TSA.

Joining us via zoom to discuss the shutdown is Daryl English.

The TSA officer at Midway International Airport and president of GE's local, 7, 7, 7, union representing agents in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Darrell, Welcome back.

Thanks for joining us.

This is not the first time we've had this discussion, TSA agents at Chicago's airports working without pay since that DA DHS shutdown, partial shutdown December.

Excuse me, February 14th.

How are you and your colleagues navigating this the second time around in just over 3 months?

>> officers are having a very hard time getting through this time, 3rd shutdown that they're going This will be the first for pay period that they want to miss.

And a lot of these officers are behind on their bills, mortgages and all the other and all personal expenses less pay they receive most members on the We see the few $100.

Some of received $50.

So this is going to be devastating.

coming up to mischief or another for a year.

>> As we mentioned, of course, this is the result of the disagreement between the Democrats and Republicans over Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent reforms.

Do you feel like TSA agents are being used as sort of negotiating pieces by politicians in Washington?

>> Well, I'm sure as to integrate that it unfortunately these officers that we work for the flying public don't deserve to put this kind of situation.

They paycheck to paycheck.

They have family.

They have children and they have careers that they need to do besides protecting a fine pub public and to have them in the situation is unfair and it's going it could cause a harsh part it that if the city's off so.

>> There have been reports of some significant slowdowns at airports around the country.

So far Chicago's airports have been reported the Slowdowns, but is is that sustainable for you and your colleagues?

At what point do you think we could start to see significant problems?

>> Well, no, it will impact us so that we Chicago and in ovarian other airports as This is just getting part of spring break.

This should be also this will be the first for a year that they're missing coming up this Friday.

So you'll start definitely seen officers and the flight impacted because of that officers don't have finance continue to go to work because of the lack of money and resources that they with system.

So you'll see a breakdown, especially starting next week.

>> Is there anything that you and your colleagues can do to prepare?

>> Well, what we've been doing is it's just, you know, members before also trying to get car pulling into just to to work together, to help support each other.

But again, all these officer officers are in the same situation.

So even though you have a car coding system, these officers been doing it.

So it's not sustainable because both parties are the same situation.

So eventually like I said before, this is something that is unsustainable.

Something have to be done to fix it.

The passengers will have a very long and hard time getting through the security lines as you've seen other areas of this country.

>> How are you and your column colleagues viewing the profession going forward is is this the kind of job now that's to financially unstable to to keep up?

>> Well, the U.S.

with a lot of officers and making that critical decision on being just the 3rd shutdown that they haven't had, that he had the last couple months.

Officer taking a second opinion.

It's second look at other options and understanding that, you know, their family and their livelihood is more important, continue to be caught between the political issues that nickel back and 4th between individuals.

So we are seeing people looking at other avenues possibly moving to something that's more sustainable, something that's more reliable than being part of federal government.

As we see today.

>> Have received any communications from DHS?

Officials are a federal officials related.

All of us.

>> No, we've talked to some.

I talked to some of politicians regarding it they had their concerns about what's going on.

They felt the same way that a lot of lot of stuff off the that they know that they're going to a lot of hardship.

But at the end of the day, nothing has been done prevent this from happening moving forward.

>> Before we let you go, do you and your colleagues you all got back pay from the last government shutdown?

But I understand it took some officers up until January to recede that back pay.

Is that right?

>> That's Is a big, big, big misconception that people were getting that what the government is open, everybody get reimbursed all their money, that they were oversight all at one time just able to.

I think that's the goal offers were made whole.

From the October situation that occurred.

So this another that's bothering officers.

>> So it's taking some time to to be made whole.

And then another another shutdown hits