This week TSA officers are expected to see their first paycheck in 44 days, but travelers continue to face long security lines at major U.S. airports.
In Houston, lines that had been packed began to ease — a marked change from just a day earlier — as agents prepared to receive back pay as soon as tomorrow. Still, airports such as Baltimore-Washington International warned flyers to arrive extra early after chaotic scenes the day before.
The staffing crisis has been severe: the government says more than 500 officers have quit since the partial government shutdown began. The number of officers calling out improved slightly (from a little over 12% to about 10%), but that rate remains roughly five times the normal call-out level. Officials and travelers alike worry whether the payroll action will be enough to stabilize staffing and curb wait times.
The administration deployed ICE agents to more than a dozen airports, including Baltimore, claiming they would assist with crowd control. Lawmakers left Capitol Hill for a two-week recess amid divisions over competing proposals to fund the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have signaled they will not approve funding that does not include significant reforms to ICE.
President Trump signed a memorandum to pay TSA officers during the shutdown, but whether that payment will quickly restore staffing levels and shorten security lines remains uncertain. Travelers say they simply want a swift, lasting resolution so routine airport security can return to normal.