Federal workers protest at Sacramento airport amid ongoing government shutdown
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- TSA agents and air traffic controllers protest unpaid work at Sacramento airport.
- More than 700,000 federal workers furloughed since Oct. 1, straining paychecks.
- Local and federal Democrats call on GOP leaders to end the government shutdown.
A collection of local, state and federal Democrats called for national Republican leaders to end the ongoing government shutdown, while at a rally with unpaid federal airport workers Friday outside the Sacramento International Airport.
A few Transportation Security Administration agents, represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, joined a handful of other employees and local leaders who met outside of Terminal A to highlight the ongoing stretch of unpaid work, urging an end to the shutdown.
The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, has effectively furloughed more than 700,000 federal workers deemed “non-essential” nationwide, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
TSA agents and air traffic controllers are among those who have gone without pay. About 250 TSA employees work at Sacramento International Airport, said James Mudrock, president of AFGE Local 1230.
“It’s absolutely wrong that these people should be being made to work under these circumstances,” he told reporters.
Aaron Jones, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, said that nearly 8,000 federal workers in Matsui’s congressional district, which includes Sacramento, have gone without paychecks during the shutdown. There are about 11,000 federal workers who live in Sacramento County, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Rep. Ami Bera, D-Sacramento; state Sen. Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento; Assemblymember Maggie Krell, D-Sacramento; and City Councilmembers Mai Vang, Karina Talamantes and Eric Guerra all gathered in support of TSA workers, who have gone without, or with limited, pay during the federal shutdown.
Bera criticized the leadership of House Speaker Mike Johnson, as TSA agents show up to work at airports throughout the country without pay.
The federal shutdown has been fueled by debate regarding the extension of health care subsidies stemming from the Affordable Care Act. Democrats refuse to sign a spending deal proposed by Republicans, which may cause insurance premiums to increase. Subsidies approved in 2021 are set to expire at the end of this year.
Now entering its third week, President Donald Trump and Republican leaders continue to criticize Democrats for disagreeing with the deal. Trump and his congressional leaders called on Democrats to approve a short-term spending package, while Democrats refuse to sign a deal that lacks extended health care funding.
“Let’s get around the business of building a future for our kids and grandkids,” Bera said.
Federal workers struggle
Austin Lee, a TSA agent at Sacramento International Airport, said that he is the primary breadwinner for his family, and began listing off bills to pay, and ways to save money. Rent, student loans, and a credit card bill topped his obligations.
“Morale is down,” he said.
Lee works from 2 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. He said he received a partial paycheck last week, which helped to pay his credit card bill and save money. He plans to dip into his savings account to pay for expenses during the next few weeks.
But if he’s not paid in November, he will wonder how to make ends meet.
“I’m just praying,” Lee said.
Mudrock emphasized the importance of paying TSA agents and air traffic controllers. Because the jobs are essential, he said, paying for them is “essential too.”
“We’ve dedicated our lives to public service, keeping travelers safe for decades,” Mudrock said in a news release. “We deserve better.”
This story was originally published October 17, 2025 at 10:12 AM.
