Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have been ordered to return $1,000 gift cards donated by media mogul Tyler Perry.
The directive comes as the agency enters its seventh week without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
Federal ethics guidelines prohibit government employees from accepting gifts valued at more than $20 from a single source, regardless of the donor's intent.
Perry initially visited the world's busiest airport with the intention of providing direct cash assistance to the unpaid workforce.
According to local outlet 11Alive, the filmmaker's team was informed that federal law strictly prohibits direct cash gifts to executive branch employees.
In an effort to find a workaround, Perry’s representatives reportedly coordinated with airport management and legal departments to distribute prepaid gift cards instead.
The donation, totaling $250,000, was intended to provide relief for officers struggling to cover basic expenses like rent and groceries.
However, over the weekend, the airport's Federal Security Director issued a formal reversal, citing a violation of the Standards of Ethical Conduct.
Workers were notified through internal channels that they must relinquish the cards immediately to avoid potential disciplinary action.
The situation has created significant distress for employees, some of whom have already spent portions of the funds to settle overdue bills.
The Department of Homeland Security has been affected by a funding impasse in Congress that began on February 14, 2026.
President Donald Trump has maintained that the shutdown is necessary to secure critical reforms in immigration enforcement.
The administration has not commented specifically on the return of the philanthropic gift cards in Atlanta.
As the shutdown reaches its 45th day, it has officially become the longest funding lapse of a major federal agency in United States history.
TSA staffing levels in Atlanta continue to fluctuate as officers report being unable to afford transportation to work.
For now, the world's busiest travel hub faces a morale crisis as agents are forced to hand back the much-needed financial lifeline.