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Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem on Sunday announced $1 billion in upgrades to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) equipment nationwide and paid $10,000 bonuses to select employees.
Speaking at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport In Minnesota, Noem praised TSA workers for their dedication during the recent 43-day federal government shutdown that ended earlier this month.
“What we saw over this period of time was astonishing,” Noem said. “…We saw people who recognized that their purpose…was to serve people, to go out and keep coming to work – sometimes taking on extra shifts, taking care of other people, but at the same time making sure that we were keeping people safe and maintaining our safety systems and standards at a high level.”
CHRISTY NOEM AWARDS $10K BONUSES TO TSA WORKERS AS TRUMP PRAITS 'PATRIOIC' FEDERAL STAFF
Speaking at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota, Noem praised TSA workers for their dedication during the recent 43-day federal government shutdown that ended earlier this month. (US Department of Homeland Security)
Noem said the $10,000 bonuses were intended to reward employees who went above and beyond. during shutdown.
“We have $10,000 bonus payments that we will pay to each of the people behind us, recognizing that they are examples,” Noem said. “…We will continue to work to train every member of the department to act and serve as they have done during this most recent challenging and difficult time.”
The minister also announced the allocation of $1 billion. TSA Modernization Initiative strengthen security at airports and allow TSA workers to do their jobs “well, accurately, efficiently.”
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Travelers pass through a TSA security checkpoint at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, November 7, 2025. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
“We will invest over $1 billion in new scanning equipment, new X-ray equipment, [Advanced Imaging Technology] equipment,” she said. “… It's been over a decade, maybe 15 years, since the department has invested these kinds of resources into new technologies to keep our transportation system safe, so they'll be coming out and being deployed over the next many months.”
Noem first announced the TSA investment a day earlier during a speech at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, saying the funds would go toward “new technologies and advances in security systems,” according to a release from the agency. Washington Equizor.
On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Brian Bedford announced that hundreds of air traffic controllers and technicians who worked during the government shutdown will receive bonus checks.
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U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rhonda Churchill)
In a statement, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said 776 air traffic controllers and technicians will be awarded $10,000 for their “patriotic work.”
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“These patriotic men and women never missed a beat and ensured the safety of flying passengers throughout the shutdown,” Duffy said in a statement. “Democrats may not care about their financial well-being, but President Trump does.”
DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Michael Sinkevich contributed to this report.
