Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Feb 22: The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will temporarily suspend its PreCheck and Global Entry programs from Sunday due to a partial agency shutdown, the Washington Post reported.

The halt in the programmes will begin at 6 a.m. ET (1100 GMT), the newspaper cited an agency spokesperson as saying. The move comes after DHS entered a partial shutdown last week when Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms.

The pause in services is part of emergency measures being taken to redirect staffing, more than a week after Congress did not approve additional funding for the agency.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the department was “making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions” and prioritising the general travelling public at entry points.

Reuters could not independently verify the report, and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck programme allows approved passengers to use expedited security lanes at US airports, reducing wait times and streamlining screening procedures.

Global Entry facilitates faster customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk international travellers entering the United States.

Earlier this week, the administration of Donald Trump directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a component of DHS, to suspend the deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster-affected areas due to the ongoing shutdown.