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Trump signed the order on March 27, afterweeks of a partial government shutdownthat has left the TSA without funding and its employees working without pay. Hundreds of staff have quit and many have not shown up for work, leaving security lines stretching outside some terminals as passengers wait hours in some cases.

Signs of a possible funding deal have seemingly vanished once again, afterefforts in Congress to come to an agreementwere dashed overa split on money for immigration enforcement operations.

Interactive:Check the latest TSA wait times at major airports

Read more:TSA lines are breaking records. How to make it less stressful with kids, elderly or a disability

As the situation escalated at airports,Trump sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement officersto supplement gaps in staffing. They have made appearances in recent days at some airports around the country, and Trump has also floated sending National Guard members.

Here's what we know about the latest updates on TSA funding and airport delays:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents patrol at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, March 23, 2026. Hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were ordered to deploy to airports to help fill TSA staffing gaps across the country.

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ICE agents appear at airports as TSA delays snarl check-in

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents patrol at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, March 23, 2026. Hundreds ofImmigration and Customs Enforcement agents were ordered to deploy to airportsto help fill TSA staffing gaps across the country.

Trump signs order to pay TSA staff

TSA officers and employees could see paychecks as early as March 30, instead of waiting for back pay when the shutdown ends, afterTrump signed the orderto reroute federal funds to pay them in a move without Congress.

Trump said an "unprecedented emergency situation" caused by the "Democrat-led DHS shutdown" warranted the action.

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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin began the process of paying TSA workers as soon as Trump signed the memo. The agency said TSA employees should begin receiving paychecks as early as March 30.

More:If a deal is reached, when do airport lines go away?

Track wait times at the airport ahead of your trip

USA TODAY has created a tracker of TSA wait timesat select major airports across the country to help travelers plan their weekend travel. It is updated every 10 minutes.

Is TSA funded yet? Where things stand in Congress

As of March 28, there is little sign that a deal is imminent to resolve the partial government shutdown that is fueling turmoil for travelers and unpaid TSA workers. That's despite what seemed like optimism earlier in the week that a deal could be reached.

On March 27, theHouse of Representatives passed a stopgap funding measure that Democrats called "dead on arrival"with virtually no chance of passing in the Senate because it didn't have Democrat support.

A bipartisan deal reached in the Senate the previous night, which would have funded all but ICE and Border Patrol, was dashed when House Republicans split with their Senate counterparts and refused to support it.

What happens next in the ongoing impasse is not clear.

Contributing: Zachary Schermele, Trevor Hughes, Bart Jansen

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Is TSA funded yet? What we know about wait times, shutdown

The vessels carrying nine people departed from Isla Mujeres in southern Mexico on March 20 and then lost contact, fueling concern in Mexico, Cuba and beyond.

In a post on X on Saturday morning, the navy said an aircraft spotted the boats 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) northwest of Havana, Cuba, and that a boat was on the way to provide help.

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An increasing number of countries and aid organizations havesent shipments of aid to Cubaas a U.S. fuel blockade has caused crippling blackouts andpushes the Caribbean nation to the brink of collapse.

The organization Nuestra América Convoy said Friday that based on the speed of the vessels reported to the Cuban maritime authorities, the window of arrival for the boats in Havana should be between Friday and Saturday and that the boats were led by experienced sailors.

James Schneider, communications director for Progressive International who helped coordinate the Nuestra America convoy to Cuba, thanked Mexican and Cuban authorities for their help on Saturday and said he was "relieved" to hear they were safe.

"The crews are safe, and the vessels are continuing their journey to Havana," he said. "The convoy remains on track to complete its mission — delivering urgently needed humanitarian aid to the Cuban people."

"Honestly, it would be so fun to be on that show. I'm a huge fan [of the show and] of Montana Jordan and Emily Osment. They are so talented — everybody that's currently on that show is so great," Armitage, 17, exclusively toldUs Weekly. "I watch the show all the time and my whole family loves it. They're all doing such a great job as a cast and as a show."

Despite tuning in each week, Armitage broke down his hesitationabout joining — yet.

"I believe when you have a cast that great — and when you've already cemented a really great core cast — diluting it or adding other people doesn't mess it up. But I wouldn't want to barge in on what they got going on," he noted. "It's really great, so I would be honored to be part of it."

'Young Sheldon' Cast: Then and Now

He continued: "There's no current plan in the works for it but, you know, if maybe a couple seasons down the line that happens ... It'd be really exciting and fun. Now that's one of those shows that I get to sit back and be a fan of. I don't even have to be a part of it. I just get to nerd out and love it."

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Armitage rose to stardom playing Sheldon on the hit CBS series,which served as a prequel toThe Big Bang Theory. FollowingJim Parson's character,Young Sheldonfocused on Sheldon's life as a child prodigy growing up in Texas. Viewers met Sheldon's brother, Georgie (Jordan), which paved the way for his love story with Mandy (Osment) to inspire another spinoff,Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.

"I'm lucky in a few ways. Because I started doing this when I was so young, I have a lot of people that will come to me and tell me, 'You look so different.' It's kind of interesting to think that if I start another project and do something completely different, it's a nice opportunity to differentiate myself in some way," Armitage explained. "But that's not even really my goal. I'm really proud of the work I did on Young Sheldon. I loved it. It was a super fun seven years. I am not running from it in the slightest. I would love to appear on Georgie and Mandy but for now just the fact that I can switch up and do something totally different is awesome and really fun."

How Many Shows Are There in 'The Big Bang Theory' TV Universe? Breaking Down Every Spinoff

Armitage has still found a way to remain at CBS bytaking on other opportunities, like an upcoming guest star role onGhosts.

"I'm looking forward to whatever happens next and at not trying to force anything. I am enjoying the ride and it's really fun," he added. "I also do like the fact that if ever want to, there's a home for a character that I love. I've got options."

The actor joked about his big dream of having a "monopoly" over his favorite CBS shows. "I need to get on Tracker and I need to get on Survivor. I need to be kidnapped really terribly and have Colter Shaw rescue me," he quipped toUs. "I need to go on the island [on Survivor] at some point. I'd love to make a little appearance on every CBS show. That'd be fun to jump around."

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriageairs on CBS Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET and episodes are currently streaming on Paramount+.

President Donald Trump issued a promised memo Fridaycalling for TSA workers to be paidimmediately, but union officials say there is confusion about how the move will roll out. "I think one of the questions from the workforce is, 'Well, is this temporary, or is TSA fully funded now?'" said Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees' TSA Council 100.

The DHS shutdown has led to nearly 500 TSA employees quitting and thousandsmore calling out of workas many struggle to afford gas, child care, food and housing, the agency said. TSA agents have been making dire sacrifices to offset the financial impacts of not being paid over the last several weeks.

TSA staffing shortages have triggered hourslong waits and lines snaking in and out of airports. People waited in line for hours Friday at major airport hubs in cities nationwide, such as Baltimore, Houston, New York and Atlanta.

Here are the latest developments:

• Shutdown likely to continue: House Republicans pushed through their own Department of Homeland Security funding bill Friday night after rejecting a deal passed by the Senate with bipartisan support. The House version is a short-term measure that will extend funding for the entire department for eight weeks. Senate Democrats have already said the House GOP plan will be dead on arrival in their chamber.

• ICE deployed to airports: Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have fanned out this week in 14 airports nationwide to assist with TSA staffing shortages and record-long lines and waits. But they are limited in the duties they can perform, officials said. ICE agents have been verifying travelers' IDs at some airports, guarding entrances and exits, and helping with logistics and crowd control, DHS said. It's unclear, however, if ICE agents deployed at Trump's request have made a significant dent as wait times accumulate.

• Funding TSA won't fix long lines overnight: Even if the shutdown ends, it could take days or weeks for airport security checkpoints to return to full staffing levels and for the long lines to disappear, union leaders said.

• Busy travel weekend approaches: As airports brace for a busy spring break travel weekend, passengers were met by lines stretching outside the building. "What we are dealing with is 100% of spring break traffic trying to squeeze through 50% or less of our TSA checkpoints, so the math does not work," Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System, said in an online video.

• TSA workers more optimistic: A TSA union leader is cautiously optimistic recent airport security woes might taper off soon as congressional leaders work toward a solution, he told CNN. TSA officers came into work Friday "in a better mood," said Atlanta's TSA union steward George Borek. "I think we're pointing in the right direction, and I hope we can bring it to the finish line."

TSA officers make dire sacrifices

TSA workers have told CNN they're becoming increasingly desperate for financial relief as roughly 61,000 of them anxiously await their paychecks during the six-week congressional stalemate.

Many TSA employees live paycheck to paycheck, making an average of $35,000 a year, according to AFGE.

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TSA worker Tatiana Finlay is just one of theworkers making sacrificesto make ends meet. She has been forced to borrow gas money from her 15-year-old daughter's birthday gift fund and ration her own food so her three children can eat.

"I've been skipping meals just hoping to stretch that dollar, because I want to make sure that they have the food," Finlay said.

Rachel, a TSA agent and mother who requested her last name not be shared publicly, described having to leave work to pick up her child and head directly to WIC to get assistance for her family. "I have to go get government assistance from the same government that I work for. And I shouldn't have to do that," she said.

TSA officer Jackson Oliver has considered leaving his job, but he stressed he isn't doing the work just for a paycheck and won't give up without a fight. He has taken a second job to support his family, as well as managing full-time schooling and flight training while not being paid.

Public and union support during the shutdown has been vital to easing some of the financial and emotional burden for TSA workers, as airports coordinate gift card drives for gas and groceries, food pantries and other donations.

"Donations of gas cards and gift cards — these things are really helping folks get through the day-to-day operations," Oliver said.

CNN's Ryan Young, Chris Youd, Rebekah Riess, Elizabeth Wolfe, Taylor Galgano and Maria Aguilar Prieto contributed to this report.

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The beloved track also earned the iconic singer-songwriter five trophies at the eighth annual Grammy Awards in 1966. They were for Best Contemporary (R&R) Single, Best Contemporary (R&R) Vocal Performance — Male, Best Country and Western Single, Best Country and Western Vocal Performance — Male, and Best Country and Western Song.

Written by Miller and produced byJerry Kennedy, "King of the Road" finds the iconic Texas-born singer crooning, with a mix of lighthearted humor,confidence, and pride, about a poor, nomadic lifestyle as a down-on-his-luck hobo. He paints a vivid picture of life's moments that come by chance, as he spends his days drifting from place to place, hopping on trains, and wearing worn-out shoes.

Despite his lack of material wealth, Miller's song shares a message of satisfaction due to independence and the idea of embracing freedom over financial security.

The Lyrics

Declaring himself a 'King of the Road,' Miller joyfully sings the lyrics: "trailers for sale or rent / Rooms to let, 50 cents / No phone, no pool, no pets / I ain't got no cigarettes / Ah, but, two hours of pushin' broom / Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room / I'm a man of means by no means / King of the road."

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Though the inspiration for the song remains unclear, various stories on how Miller came up with the song lyrics have been passed around over the years. According toKivitv.com, he often wrote: "songs while on the road, scribbling down lyrics…. between all his concerts and TV appearances."

One rumor, according to the source, suggests Miller wrote the song from a memory in Boise, Idaho, while others claim he saw "a sign reading 'Trailers for Sale or Rent,'" which became the opening line of the song.

The Song Was Heard All Over the World

While "King of the Road" is known for being a major country hit, the song enjoyed crossover and internationalsuccess, reaching the No. 4 spot on theBillboardHot 100 chart and topping both the UK Singles and Norwegian charts. The timeless classic also placed at No. 60 onRolling Stone's 2024 list of 200 Greatest Country Songs of all Time.

Miller passed away onOctober25, 1992, at age 56, following a battle with lung and throat cancer. Since then, his song has continued to be a significant part of his legacy, with covers by artists such asRandy Travis,R.E.M.,George Jones, and more.

Related: 1965 Classic Was a No. 1 Hit 61 Years Ago Today

This story was originally published byParadeon Mar 27, 2026, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.