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US Government Shutdown Extends, Airports Face Severe Security Check Delays
TSA Employees Working Without Pay Amid Resignations
The prolonged US government shutdown continues to impact Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, who are working without pay. This has led to significant security screening delays and increasing staff attrition at major airports nationwide. Former TSA Administrator John Pistole expressed concern that 'more and more TSOs, as they're called, will call out and not show up for work' as the shutdown persists. Indeed, TSA data indicates that over 300 employees have resigned during the shutdown, and unscheduled absences have doubled. Johnny Jones, a TSA officer at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, highlighted the financial struggles faced by many employees, who are taking on extra jobs, donating plasma, or relying on food banks after their shifts.
Major Airports Experience Security Delays and Passenger Frustration
Major airports such as LaGuardia Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Salt Lake City International Airport are experiencing long security lines, causing considerable inconvenience for travelers. One passenger, Cara Wreen, worried about missing her connecting flight to Wisconsin. This marks the third federal funding lapse in the past year, coinciding with the busy spring break travel rush, exacerbating the chaos. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been displaying videos at airports, attributing longer wait times to the 'ongoing Democrat shutdown of TSA and the Department of Homeland Security'.
No Refunds for Missed Flights, Heightened Political Conflict
Travelers who miss flights due to TSA delays are not eligible for refunds, as these delays are considered beyond the airlines' control. Johnny Jones emphasized the dire situation, stating that 'a lot of people, sometime mid-next week, they're gonna run out of money. They don't have no way of getting to work.' The Democrats have refused to approve the Department of Homeland Security's budget unless Republican lawmakers and the Trump Administration agree to changes to ICE, including requirements for agents to wear IDs and remove their masks. Jones criticized this, asserting that TSA officers have become 'political pawns' in a 'tug of war between the political parties that we have running our government.'
*Source: YouTube: CBS News (2026-03-15)*
