A partial government shutdown has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents working without pay for weeks, leading to high absenteeism and resignations.
Senior TSA officials warn that if the funding impasse continues, smaller airports may be forced to close entirely due to a lack of security screeners.
Major airports are experiencing security wait times of up to three hours, prompting advisories for travelers to arrive several hours early for flights.
The political deadlock centers on Democratic demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before approving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding.
The crisis threatens long-term damage to TSA workforce morale and recruitment, with officials predicting a lasting attrition problem even after funding is restored.
The fabric of American air travel is fraying under the strain of a protracted partial government shutdown, with senior security officials issuing an unprecedented warning: without a resolution, airports may begin to close. As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding lapse entered its second month in mid-March, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been stretched to its operational limits. With thousands of frontline screeners missing paychecks, absenteeism has skyrocketed, leading to massive security delays, a wave of resignations, and dire predictions of a complete breakdown in critical transportation infrastructure.
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