Just months after donating $1.4 million to groups helping families affected by cuts to SNAP benefits, Tyler Perry was reportedly back at it again—this time at the airport.
According to Atlanta station 11Alive, Perry showed up at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on the morning of March 26 with plans to give money directly to TSA employees who have gone weeks without pay during the partial government shutdown. However, airport officials told him he could not hand cash directly to agents while they were working.
The attempted donation comes as TSA employees nationwide continue dealing with the effects of the shutdown, which began after Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
Since February 14, many TSA workers have remained on the job without receiving paychecks, creating financial strain for families already facing higher grocery and gas costs. At some airports, long security lines have stretched close to three hours as staffing issues continue.
Perry’s effort was blocked because of a long-standing federal ethics rule that prevents government employees from accepting gifts or cash from members of the public while performing their duties. Under federal regulations, government workers generally cannot accept “any gratuity, gift, favor, entertainment, loan, or anything of monetary value” from people whose interests could be affected by their work.
The rule applies even in situations like this one, where the gesture was intended to help. TSA agents at the airport were therefore unable to accept the money directly from Perry.
The moment fits a pattern that has become familiar for Perry. In November 2025, the producer behind Beauty in Black and the Madea franchise donated nearly $1.4 million to organizations helping families impacted by reductions in SNAP benefits during another government funding crisis.
“If you’ve never been poor then you may not fully understand the life-changing impact SNAP benefits mean to hard-working people,” Perry said at the time. He added that the loss of food assistance for millions of Americans was “heartbreaking.”
Even though TSA workers could not take the money directly, Perry may still have a way to help. Some airports have begun setting up donation programs that collect money on behalf of TSA employees and distribute it separately, allowing workers to receive support without violating federal rules.
