Travelers flying out of NYC area airports: Be prepared to wait
Gothamist • • nation
Key Points:
- Travelers at New York City-area airports face long wait times due to thousands of unpaid TSA workers calling out amid a partial federal government shutdown entering its second month.
- The Department of Homeland Security reports absenteeism among TSA officers has risen above 11% nationwide, with even higher rates at JFK and LaGuardia airports, causing significant staffing shortages.
- The shutdown began after Congress failed to fund DHS, with Democrats demanding immigration reforms and Republicans insisting on full DHS funding, resulting in a political stalemate.
- President Trump has threatened to deploy ICE officers to airports to perform some TSA duties to alleviate delays, with plans being finalized to have ICE handle tasks not requiring specialized training.
- In response to TSA workers' financial struggles, New York small businesses launched Operation
