Long lines at Austin’s airport were evident early Friday, with travelers waiting for hours to board, as pressure grew on Congress to finalize a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Footage shared online displayed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport extending well outside a terminal.
DHS commented on the situation, saying, “Thanks to Democrats’ reckless shutdown, security lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport extend outside the doors. This political impasse is turning spring break travel into a nightmare as they continue to withhold funding from DHS and refuse to pay @TSA.”
DHS acknowledged the funding expiration a month earlier, which affected unpaid TSA staff and the public traveling experience.
Lines reportedly started forming around 5 a.m. local time but were cleared within two hours.
The airport shared several videos throughout the morning showing the long checkpoints and many passengers waiting. Travelers were advised to arrive at least two-and-a-half hours before their flights on Saturday due to anticipated crowds, particularly from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Airport lines are reportedly increasing nationwide as lawmakers are hearing more complaints from their constituents, escalating pressure to resolve the DHS funding dispute.
Since the start of the DHS shutdown, over 300 TSA employees have quit, with calls more than doubling a TSA spokesperson noted. “Due to the Democrats’ DHS shutdown, 100,000 DHS employees will not receive a paycheck today, equating to $1 billion in back wages each month,” the spokesperson added. “This shutdown has forced TSA employees to work without pay three times in six months.”
The spokesperson warned that wait times at security could worsen if the shutdown persists, attributing the delay to political maneuvering by the Democrats.
The funding crisis traces back to a political stalemate surrounding calls for reform of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) amid the ongoing deportation efforts of the Trump administration.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) remarked, “We’re in negotiations,” but asserted that progress was lacking. He further emphasized that the issue transcends mere politics, referencing a specific incident as an example.
Some Republican lawmakers have expressed resistance to the changes to ICE that Democrats propose. “Let me be clear: We will not do anything that impairs ICE’s ability to enforce immigration laws,” said Sen. Eric Schmidt, R-Missouri.
TSA indicated on its platform that it would “not be updated until funding is passed,” leaving many travelers confused about wait times.
Chris Sununu, president and CEO of Airlines for America, stated, “Today, tens of thousands of TSA employees are receiving empty paychecks. Zero dollars,” recalling that these employees had received part of their paycheck two weeks ago and previously endured 43 days without pay last fall. He called the scenario “wrong and unfair,” criticizing Congress for its inability to reach an agreement on practical bipartisan solutions.
