TSA lines rise again at major US airports ahead of weekend traveler rush
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- Airports nationwide are preparing for heavy weekend travel despite ongoing TSA staff shortages caused by the partial government shutdown, which has led to the longest security wait times ever recorded.
- Congress has made no significant progress on funding the Department of Homeland Security, and lawmakers are set to leave for a two-week recess, raising concerns that airport conditions will worsen during the busy spring break travel period.
- TSA workers, who have gone unpaid for six weeks, are quitting or calling out in large numbers, forcing airports to reassign employees from other departments and bring in outside personnel to manage crowds, though these measures have not fully alleviated delays.
- ICE agents have been deployed to 14 airports to assist with crowd control and ID verification, but they lack specialized TSA screening training, and their presence has only modestly improved wait times according to officials.
- TSA employees are facing severe financial hardships due to missed paychecks, with many struggling to afford basic necessities, and union leaders criticize the reliance on ICE agents as an inadequate response to the staffing crisis.
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