Denver International Airport pleads for gift card donations to cover TSA agents pay during government shutdown

The Denver International Airport (DEN) has taken to X to ask the public to fork over gift cards to TSA workers amidst the federal government shutdown, which has been tied to a fight over funding in the Department of Homeland Security.

As the shutdown (which began on February 14) bleeds into another week, airport security staff are not getting paid — though according to Reuters, around 50 have continued to toil away anyway.

The March 11 post reads, “! DONATIONS NEEDED ! Support the dedicated TSA employees working without pay by donating $10 and $20 grocery store and gas gift cards. Visa gift cards cannot be accepted. Drop off locations can be found at the Final Approach cell phone lot and in the Jeppesen Terminal.”

A press release shared by DEN aligned with the X post.

“Once again, DEN’s federal employees are working tirelessly to ensure our airport operates efficiently and safely without getting paid. TSA employees just missed their first paycheck, and as we enter a busy spring break travel period, we want to do what we can to ease the stress of this moment,” DEN CEO Phil Washington said in the statement.

“That’s why we are calling on the public, our passengers, and other airport employees to donate grocery store and gas gift cards to help make this moment a little more bearable for these federal workers,” he continued.

The request has sparked heated reactions online, with one X user commenting, “Let me get this straight…you’re asking travelers to BRIBE federal employees?”

“It’s a nice sentiment, but a MAJOR conflict of interest,” posted another.

According to the October 2, 2025, US Office of Government Ethics (OGE) guidelines shared by People, federal workers are allowed to accept small gifts other than cash, so long as the value is $20 or less. Cash equivalent gifts — think Visa or MasterCard gift cards — are prohibited, and employees are barred from accepting more than $50 worth of gifts from the same person over the course of a year.

“Federal employees cannot accept donations directly. However, specific gift card donations up to a certain amount are allowable during the shutdown,” said a DEN spokesperson in a statement shared with People. 

The gift cards can be for local chains such as King Scoopers or Safeway, but can also include national brands like Costco, Walmart and Target. Stores that sell both gas and food are identified as ideal.