Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports is likely to get "much worse," as the partial government shutdown hits Day 41.
"I think you're going to see more TSA agents, as we come to Thursday, Friday, Saturday of next week, they're going to quit or they're not going to show up," Duffy told ABC's Jonathan Karl on Sunday's "This Week," noting officers are likely to miss their second paycheck this week.
"But without getting paychecks, it's even that much more challenging," he added. "They're going to take other jobs to put food on the table and pay the rent. So, I do think it's going to get much worse. And as it gets worse, I think that puts pressure on the Congress to come to a resolution."
A large percentage of TSA employees have continued to call out of work as funding negotiations to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remain at a standstill and travelers are experiencing security wait times at airports across the country.
The shutdown could also prompt smaller airports to temporarily pause operations due to the growing call-out rate. DHS reported that over 360 TSA officers have quit since the partial shutdown began in late February.
Duffy on Sunday said that he is urging TSA employees to go to work, adding that officers are "going to get paid."
"I'm asking for them to come [to work], and we've asked them to come to work," he said. "They make family decisions that are right on behalf of their finances. But we want them to come."
President Trump announced on Saturday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers would be deployed Monday to airports nationwide to assist with operations amid the funding impasse.
It remains unclear, however, what that would exactly look like.
Duffy told ABC News on Sunday that immigration officers would assist airports with security operations, while White House border czar Tom Homan could help employees with mitigating long lines. Homan, speaking to CNN's Dana Bash Sunday, said the administration is hoping to hammer out a plan before Monday.
"[ICE officers] run those same type of security machines at the southern border, right?" Duffy said. "Packages come through or people come through. They run similar assets."
"And again, even if we're ... look at the line there. To manage the through flow of people and even administratively, they'll be helpful," he continued. "But again, we have ICE agents who are trained and can provide assistance to agents."