Veterans nonprofit stepping up to help unpaid TSA workers at Detroit Metro Airport
By Julia Avant
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DETROIT (WWJ) — The struggle continues for federal employees, especially TSA workers.
TSA representatives tell CBS News Detroit employees are trying to figure out how to feed their families and keep the lights on at home amid the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
Rose Ann Walsh has seen the struggle firsthand.
“It’s sad and good at the same time. It’s sad they have to go through this,” said Walsh.
Walsh is receiving call after call from TSA workers in need of help.
The good news is Walsh and thousands of other volunteers with Downriver for Veterans are working together to help.
But finding help is not the problem; Walsh says it’s the government’s restrictions.
“When I heard this, I was floored because how do you not pay the most important people in the U.S., and not pay them, and then limit their way to survive? That is just ludicrous,” said Walsh.
TSA workers tell her they can only accept donations from certain organizations and specific gift cards that are no more than $20.
So Walsh says they have Easter baskets for children of federal workers on standby and will figure out how to get them anything else they may need.
Greg Simpkins, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 778, which represents TSA workers at Detroit Metro Airport, is seeing the struggles firsthand.
“They took an oath to make sure that the traveling public get to where they need to get to safely, and to be a pawn in this game of politics is so undeserving,” said Simpkins.
President Trump said Sunday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will soon assist TSA agents at airports. In a post on Truth Social, the president said that ICE agents will go to airports on Monday.
“What I’m seeing with ICE, I don’t think they have the compassion we have to do the job,” said Simpkins.
Simpkins is unsure if any of his TSA workers at Detroit Metro Airport have quit, but he knows the hours they put in day after day are taking a toll at home.
“Some single parents whose not able to pay for daycare right now because it takes money for that,” said Simpkins. Groceries is at a minimum right now. They can’t go and fill their refrigerators up like they normally do for themselves and their children.”
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