Passengers at several U.S. airports faced long lines at security checkpoints over the weekend as the federal government’s partial shutdown drags on and TSA personnel call out in higher numbers.
Officials at Houston Hobby, Atlanta, and New Orleans advised travelers to arrive three to five hours early due to shortages of TSA workers. Longer than usual security lines were also reported at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina.
Democrats in Congress have blocked funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security since mid-February over concerns about the conduct of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. TSA also operates under DHS.
Funding from mandatory spending and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was supposed to keep DHS employees, including TSA agents, paid for several weeks despite the shutdown. But TSA staff reportedly got a partial paycheck at the end of last month, and are set to miss their first full paycheck this week.
Most TSA, ICE, and CBP agents, along with most other DHS personnel, are considered essential employees, and must continue to report to work even if the federal government is shut down and they are not being paid.
DHS leaders have openly criticized Democrats for withholding funding.
On Sunday, the department’s official X account posted pictures of long lines at an unspecified airport with the caption “SPRING BREAK UNDER SIEGE.”
“The Democrats’ DHS shutdown has led to HOURS long security lines at airports across the country, leading Americans to miss their spring break flights,” the post read. “There is ZERO reason for spring break travel to be held hostage for political points – Democrats must end this DHS shutdown NOW.”
Democratic lawmakers have said they will restore funding if the White House agrees to reform immigration enforcement and border security policies.
Last month, DHS suspended TSA PreCheck and CBP’s Global Entry, citing a lack of resources due to the partial shutdown. PreCheck was ultimately restored, but Global Entry remains offline.
