Tyler Perry’s $250K Good Deed Wins + TSA Workers Told They Can Keep Gift Cards After Legal Reversal

Talk about a Hollywood ending.

via: People

Some TSA workers at the Atlanta airport who received $1,000 gift cards from Tyler Perry were reportedly asked to return the donations. But a representative for movie producer says they'll be able to keep the money after clearing up some confusion.

On Friday, March 27, the Georgia-based director gave 250 TSA officers working at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport $1,000 gift cards, PEOPLE previously reported. The donations came as tens of thousands of federal employees were working without pay amid a partial government shutdown that began in mid-February.

On Sunday, unnamed sources at the airport reportedly told local news outlet 11 Alive that they had received phone calls asking them to return the cash assistance they received.

However, a representative for Perry confirmed to PEOPLE on Monday, that everything had been cleared up.

"Since late last week, Tyler worked closely with the TSA to make sure the donation was handled properly," they said. "At one point there was confusion over a return of about 100 gift cards from employees to TSA supervisors, but Tyler’s team reconfirmed this morning that TSA’s legal counsel approved the donation. Any returned gift cards are in the process of being given back to the employees."

Aaron Barker — the president of the American Federation of Government (AFGE) Local 554 union, representing officers in Georgia — had previously confirmed to PEOPLE the gifts went through a legal process, as there are specific guidelines when it comes to gifting federal employees. “It went through the legal process through TSA,” Barker said.

During the U.S. government's shutdown last fall, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) provided guidance on what gifts federal workers can and cannot receive in an Oct. 2, 2025 release. They can accept small gifts, other than cash, as long as the value is $20 or less. They noted cash equivalent gifts, like Visa or MasterCard gift cards, are not allowed. Additionally, employees are not allowed to accept more than $50 from the same person over the course of a year. 

The OGE also clarified that federal workers can accept free or discounted meals, as long as it is offered to all federal employees and/or the general public.

The federal government entered a partial shutdown on Feb. 14, 2026 after Congress failed to pass a funding measure for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes the TSA. Since the shutdown, about 500 TSA agents have quit, CNN reports. 

The lack of pay has resulted in increased call-outs and staffing shortages at airport security across the country. About 10.27% of workers nationwide called out of work on Saturday, CNN reports, citing data from DHS. Five major airports reported call out rates of 30% or higher at their facility.

For travelers, the lapse in funding has resulted in hours-long wait times for security amid the busy spring break travel season.

However, as of Monday, March 30, some TSA workers are starting to receive their back pay, an AFGE spokesperson tells CNN.

President Donald Trump signed an executive action on Friday directing “funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations,” for payment, according to a statement. Newly-appointed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said TSA workers “should begin seeing paychecks as early as Monday.”