Shutdown Triggers Staff Shortages, US Airport Wait Times Exceed 4 Hours
Washington (ANTARA) - Wait times at airport security checkpoints in the United States (US) have reached the longest levels in the 24-year history of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) amid the prolonged shutdown of the US Department of Homeland Security, with waits exceeding four hours at some locations, a senior official said on Wednesday (25/3).
Major airports have reported TSA employee absenteeism rates of 40 to 50 percent, Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told a hearing of the US House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.
“Disruption levels like this have never happened before and are unacceptable, significantly weakening the security of the US transportation system,” McNeill said.
She added that many workers are struggling to meet basic needs, with some unable to pay utility bills and facing service disconnections. Other workers have received eviction notices, are sleeping in their cars, or are selling blood and plasma to make ends meet.
Since the shutdown began in mid-February, more than 480 TSA employees have resigned, she said.
As major airports continue to face hours-long security queues due to staffing shortages during the shutdown, Democrats and Republicans traded blame on Wednesday.
“Republican senators have now blocked TSA funding nine times. They are fully responsible for the chaos travellers are experiencing,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on platform X.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump criticised the Democrats. “Blame the Democrats for the chaos at Airports. They want our Country to do poorly. They want our Country to fail,” Trump wrote on platform Truth Social.
This impasse follows Democratic calls to reform the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency after the fatal shooting of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis in January.
Republicans rejected those demands, triggering the deadlock that halted funding for the US Department of Homeland Security on 13 February.