A partial U.S. government shutdown has led to TSA staffing shortages, causing security wait times of up to three hours at major airports on Sunday.
Staffing Crisis
TSA agents, federal workers under the Department of Homeland Security, received partial paychecks earlier this month and now face their first full missed paycheck, resulting in absences and understaffing. DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis noted financial hardships driving the issue, echoing last year’s 43-day shutdown when similar shortages hit air traffic control.
Affected Airports
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta saw one-hour lines amid a passenger backlog from Friday ground stops; William P. Hobby in Houston warned of 180+ minute waits, advising 4-5 hour early arrivals and noting possible TSA PreCheck unavailability. New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong International urged three-hour buffers, while Charlotte Douglas reported 50-minute delays.
Broader Context
The shutdown stems from Congress failing to fund DHS in February, with Democrats pushing immigration enforcement changes amid President Trump’s deportation policies. Airports like George Bush Intercontinental in Houston also advised extra time, exacerbating travel chaos nationwide.
