What to know about Trump's executive order to pay TSA officers and its impact on airport security lines
PBS • • general
Key Points:
- President Trump signed an executive order to pay TSA officers immediately amid long security lines at major U.S. airports during spring break, but the timing of its impact remains uncertain.
- TSA employees have been unpaid since February 14 due to the government shutdown, with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin indicating they could receive pay as soon as Monday.
- Airport security lines remain extremely long, with some passengers experiencing waits of up to five hours, causing many to miss flights and raising concerns about the staffing crisis continuing for weeks.
- Nearly 500 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began, and some airports report call-out rates as high as 40%, complicating efforts to reduce wait times despite the new executive order.
- Travelers are advised to check airport conditions frequently and arrive at least four hours before flights, as wait times can fluctuate rapidly and official wait time data may be unreliable during the shutdown.
