Transportation Security Administration officers from the country’s busiest airport are catching a break after weeks of uncertainty during a partial government shutdown.

Federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed in February, leaving TSA officers across the nation’s airports working without pay. Congress was gridlocked as they debated appropriations for ICE, and the shutdown dragged on. Lines to get through security at major airports got longer and longer, and TSA officers began calling out of work as the financial burden became too great.

In the weeks since, ICE officers were deployed to airports to help the staffing shortages, and the president passed an order to pay TSA officers while the shutdown continues. TSA officers are largely back to work as normal and they have been receiving paychecks, but backpay from prior weeks won’t come until the shutdown is over.

Now, public service officials in Georgia are trying to make sure TSA officers can keep the lights on as the shutdown has no clear end in sight.

Georgia commission stops utility cutoffs

On Monday, the Georgia Public Service Commission announced an order had been filed to “ensure TSA agents who are living in Georgia will not have their utility service cut off for nonpayment and will not pay late fees for missed utility bills until the partial government shutdown ends,” according to a news release.

The motion was approved unanimously after being put forward by Commissioner Tricia Pridemore.

“Georgia is home to the world’s busiest airport and many regional airports where TSA agents work to keep us safe,” Pridemore said in the release. “During the partial shutdown, many TSA agents are taking up second jobs driving Ubers and utilizing other gig-economy jobs just to make rent or mortgages and to put food on the table. I’m hoping this order will give them one less thing to worry about.”

How can TSA officers get support?

TSA officers can qualify for the utility protection by verifying their employment with the TSA, then making sure the balances are paid once the shutdown is over.

“Their past-due balances must be paid within 30 days after the shutdown ends and TSA agents’ back pay is restored,” according to the commission. “Although many agents received a paycheck Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has cautioned TSA agents that future pay remains in limbo as the partial government shutdown continues.”

The order only applies to utilities that fall under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Public Service Commission. This includes Georgia Power and Atlanta Gas Light. There are several natural gas marketers in the state, but the commission said Atlanta Gas Light is still responsible for the pipelines and connecting and disconnecting service.

“TSA officers at Hartsfield-Jackson are showing up every day to keep Georgia safe, even as they go without a paycheck,” Commissioner Peter Hubbard said. “They shouldn’t have to worry about coming home to a dark house.”

When will the shutdown be over?

It’s unclear when the partial government shutdown may come to an end as Congress appears locked in debate over funding for immigration enforcement, also under the purview of DHS.

The shutdown could end Tuesday as the House returns from a recess, and they will be back in session at noon on April 14. Voting on the funding is not currently listed on the House weekly schedule, according to reporting from USA TODAY, but it could possibly be included in a section noted “additional legislative items.”

The Senate passed a bipartisan plan to fund DHS before the House went on recess, but some conservative House members have made it clear they wouldn’t support the plan that excludes funding for immigration and border control operations.

Irene Wright is following the partial government shutdown’s impact on TSA at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Find the Atlanta Connect reporter on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.

A McDuffie County man is facing multiple felony charges after Georgia authorities say he trafficked and sexually exploited a 17-year-old girl.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced Monday that Jimmy Mance, 40, of Thomson, has been charged with trafficking a minor for sexual servitude and sexual exploitation of a child. 

According to the Attorney General’s Office, the case stems from allegations that the teenager was sold for sex, with the victim later recovered in December 2025. 

“This is yet another step in our ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking in every corner of this state,” Carr said in a statement. “If you buy or sell a child for sex, we will find you, arrest you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” 

Charges filed

Authorities say Mance is facing several charges, including:

• Trafficking of persons for sexual servitude (harboring a minor)

• Trafficking of persons for sexual servitude (providing a minor)

• Two counts of sexual exploitation of a child involving explicit material

Warrants were taken out on April 13 by the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. 

Multiple agencies assisted in the investigation and arrest, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office, Thomson Police Department, and sheriff’s offices in Columbia and Bibb counties. 

Statewide crackdown on trafficking

The case highlights Georgia’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly involving minors.

The Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit — created in 2019 — has secured more than 70 convictions and helped rescue or assist over 200 children, according to state officials. 

Carr expanded the unit last year to include additional prosecutors and investigators serving Augusta and surrounding counties, part of a broader push to target trafficking networks statewide. 

Officials say the unit works alongside local and state law enforcement to investigate and prosecute cases involving sexual exploitation and forced labor.

What happens next

Authorities emphasize that the charges are allegations, and Mance is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. 

The case remains under investigation.

Hurst’s development could go in two distinct directions. If he emphasizes precision, refines his routes, and adds a little muscle to his frame, Hurst could become an aspiring A.J. Green – a big-play primary receiver who can defeat press-man coverage and run the full route tree.

If Hurst bulks up further and his route tree is limited, he could become a big-play possession option like Tee Higgins who isn’t asked to run as full of a route tree and wins with his size at the boundary.

There’s reason for optimism that Hurst will become a weekly contributor in the league. It’s probably a stretch to believe Hurst will become a top-end primary receiver, but others with his athletic gifts have done it before.

Hurst has a medium-high floor with a high ceiling. That’s worth the investment.