What began as an effort by Tyler Perry to help federal employees weather the government shutdown has now taken another turn. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have been told to return $1,000 gift cards that were distributed by Perry’s representatives over the weekend.
Perry first went to the Atlanta airport on March 26, intending to give cash directly to TSA workers, many of whom have been working without pay for more than six weeks. But federal ethics rules prohibit government employees from accepting direct cash gifts while on the job, and Perry’s initial effort was stopped almost immediately.
Rather than walk away, Perry’s team reportedly looked for another way to help. After contacting airport management, human resources, and legal officials, representatives returned with $1,000 gift cards that were distributed to TSA workers. The gift cards were seen as a way to provide relief without violating the same rules that barred direct cash payments.
For a brief moment, the cards appeared to accomplish exactly what Perry had hoped. The gift cards were a major morale boost for airport employees, many of whom are struggling to cover groceries, gas, and other basic expenses during the ongoing shutdown.
But by the end of the weekend, according to 11Alive, TSA workers who had received the cards were contacted and told they needed to return them. The airport’s federal security director raised concerns after the cards had already been distributed.
The decision has created an additional problem for some workers because part of the money may already have been spent. Sources said employees are now being instructed to return any remaining gift cards, even though some have already used them to pay for necessities.
A representative for Perry, however, told The Breakfast Club’s Loren LoRosa that the allegations about agents having to return the gift cards are false.
The TSA controversy arrives as the shutdown continues to affect federal workers across the country. Since February 14, TSA agents have remained on the job without pay while Congress and the White House continue negotiations over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
The situation is the latest example of Perry trying to step in during moments of financial strain. In November 2025, he donated nearly $1.4 million to organizations helping families affected by reductions in SNAP benefits during another government funding crisis.
At the time, Perry said people who have never struggled financially may not understand “the life-changing impact” that programs like SNAP have on working families, seniors, and children.
