Potential Airport Shutdowns Amid DHS Funding Issues
WASHINGTON – A senior official with the TSA has raised alarms that a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, led by Democrats, could lead to complete airport closures nationwide.
“We’re doing everything we can,” stated Adam Stahl, acting deputy commissioner of the Transportation Security Administration.
According to Stahl, the agency is “stretched to its limits” and struggling to recruit new staff, largely due to recent pay cuts. He mentioned that, “Frankly, there’s not much else we can do. As the weeks go by, if the number of passengers continues to rise, we may literally face having to close some airports, particularly the smaller ones.”
He noted that many TSA officers are unable to afford to come to work, which is a serious concern.
TSA screeners, who typically make about $45,000 a year, have been working without full pay for several weeks now. The cracks in the system are becoming quite apparent. They only received a partial payment at the end of February, with no full salary reported as of last Friday.
Travelers across the nation are being advised to arrive three to four hours early to navigate the growing crowds.
On Sunday, 10% of TSA screeners called in sick, a significant increase from the 2% absence rate seen before the shutdown.
Additionally, nearly 370 TSA employees have opted for retirement in just the past month, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The funding lapse for the TSA and other DHS components traces back to February 14 when Senate Democrats filibustered a DHS spending bill backed by Republicans that entailed considerable concessions related to immigration enforcement policies.
While ICE and Border Patrol have received full funding under the previous bill, some of the demands made, like deploying body cameras and scaling back a large migrant operation in Minnesota, were agreed upon by Republicans. However, other requests, such as imposing stricter warrant requirements, are non-negotiable for them.
The DHS has managed to complete payments for certain groups, including law enforcement officers from various branches, but TSA officers and many support staff within these agencies remain unpaid.
This marks the third funding lapse that has disrupted TSA employees in a mere six months.
Stahl recounted a conversation he had with an officer—a single mother with a special needs child—who expressed her inability to meet financial obligations for child support due to the ongoing situation. “It’s frankly unconscionable that we have Senate Democrats holding people’s economic livelihoods hostage to political gamesmanship and partisanship,” he remarked.
Security wait times have skyrocketed at certain airports, with some passengers facing nearly three-hour waits as the TSA grapples with the ramifications of the DHS shutdown.
Stahl warned that “callout rates vary, but they continue to rise every day.” He noted, “We may need to collapse lanes at some airports. Without decisive action—especially from Senate Democrats—conditions will worsen.”
“There will be significant distress for passengers. Some airports are already reporting wait times of up to four hours,” he added.
