Tyler Perry Successfully Delivers $1,000 Gift Cards To Unpaid TSA Workers After Initially Being Denied Approval

Tyler Perry found a workaround after his initial attempt to give cash to unpaid TSA officers was denied. So now, about 250 agents at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport have received $1,000 gift cards instead. The director’s effort came during the partial government shutdown that left thousands working without pay since February 14.

via: People

Thousands of TSA officers have been working without pay due to the partial government shutdown, which began on Feb. 14. After funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was impacted, some TSA employees have been put in dire situations, like having to sleep in their cars or sell their blood or plasma to make ends meet. Over 480 officers who couldn't afford to continue to work without pay have quit.

As employees navigate these challenging times, the Atlanta-based director, 56, gave 250 TSA officers working at Hartsfield–Jackson on Friday, March 27 each $1,000 gift cards, PEOPLE can confirm.

Aaron Barker — the president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 554 union, representing TSA officers in Georgia — confirms Perry’s gift to officers went through a legal process, as there are specific guidelines when it comes to giving gift cards to federal employees.

“It went through the legal process through TSA,” Barker tells PEOPLE.

Since the shutdown began, TSA officers have collectively missed nearly $1 billion in paychecks, the agency said earlier this week.

The situation has also led to a 40 to 50% callout rate among officers at major airports who “simply cannot afford to report to work,” resulting in extremely long security lines and wait times at the busiest hubs across the country.

In the early morning of Friday, March 27, the U.S. Senate voted on a measure to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including TSA, however, the proposal had to get through the House before the partial government shutdown could end. According to the Washington Post, the House rejected the funding bill.

However, President Trump announced Thursday, March 26 on Truth Social that he would sign an executive order to pay TSA officers, directing newly sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to “immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”

According to the Post, Trump’s order would use preexisting funds to pay the agents, and TSA employees could start seeing paychecks as early as Monday, March 30.