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Yet another government shutdown has pushed the American network of air travel to its Breaking Point. The latest failure of Congress to pass funding has resulted in a partial shutdown leaving the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) without funding to pay agents. The Crisis began on February 14th and around 50,000 officers have been working without pay.
The prolonged withholding of paychecks has finally led to mass callouts and resignations, with officers simply not showing up to their shift. Some checkpoints have seen up to 50% of employees miss shifts. Lines to pass security at some airports have gotten so long that they are extended to the parking lot as spring break travelers flock to their flights during one of the nation’s busiest travel periods.
Stalled At The Checkpoint: Unmanned Airport Security
The nationwide crisis has been felt more acutely at some airports, like Houston Hobby Airport, New Orleans International, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, and Charlotte Douglas. The severe breakdown in airport security coincides with a seasonal air travel surge that is forecast to see 171 million Americans flying to vacation.The funding lapse for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and therefore TSA, is tied to a congressional stalemate over immigration enforcement reforms.
Through the political lobbying group Airlines for America, CEOs from major carriers like Delta, United, and American have demanded that Congress reach a deal to pay TSA and CBP workers. They criticized the use of security personnel as political leverage during a season with a massive surge of travelers across the United States.
While other federal agencies are funded, TSA workers are expected to miss their first full paycheck on March 14, according to WLWT news. Anthony Riley, a 58-year-old TSA Agent and married father of three, told NBC News about his struggles as his family is facing eviction due to his withheld pay:
“I basically asked them for help. This is the fourth week I’m working without pay and it’s killing me. Right now, I don’t have any money to move. I might be working homeless.”
Politics Halts Funding For Airport Security
The federal deadlock that has resulted in the massive shutdown is over illegal and dangerous crackdowns by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under Kristi Noem. Senate Democrats have refused to fund DHS because of illegal and outright dangerous immigration crackdowns. The issue centers on a political and operational stalemate over the militarization of virtually untrained agents and the fatal shootings of at least two citizens.
Prior to being publicly fired by President Trump via social media, Noem also suspended TSA PreCheck and Global Entry kiosks. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill accused her of inflicting pain on the public to pressure Congress into approving her immigration budget with the service only being restored in the last 24 hours.
The ongoing contest between members of Congress over the path forward for DHS has left the TSA in a state of financial purgatory, with no funding but the obligation to continue performing its duty. To manage its operations with limited staff, TSA has begun closing some checkpoints at major airports.
The Invisible Checkpoint Crisis Threatening To Ground Your Flight
As the government shutdown drags on, airport security lines are growing longer, threatening to delay or even ground flights across the United States.
Just Figure It Out: No Lifeline For Flyers
For major hubs, the standard two-hour window is currently insufficient. Lines are stretching into parking garages and baggage claims. Use the MyTSA app or the airport’s official website to check the live wait times before leaving the house.
Flyers also need to bring a real ID due to policy changes and higher levels of enforcement. If your driver’s license doesn’t have the gold or black star, then it may not be sufficient to pass security. At the same time, TSA PreCheck is operational and will be significantly faster when attempting to get to the gate on time.
Since Global Entry is operational, based on the latest information, it will also be significantly beneficial in getting through the general customs clearance procedure. The situation is expected to remain volatile for the foreseeable future, and travelers are advised to check live TSA wait times before heading to the airport.
