TSA Lines Stretch Out The Door At Austin Airport As Govt. Shutdown Leaves Agents Unpaid
Security lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport stretched outside the terminal early Friday morning, as spring break travel ramps up and TSA agents miss their first full paycheck due to the continuing partial government shutdown.
As of 5:30 am Friday, lines for the security checkpoints were seen stretching outside the terminal in Austin. By 7:00 am, the lines had returned inside.
AUSTIN AND DHS RESPONDThe airport released a statement in response: “AUS is experiencing higher passenger volumes as spring break travel coincides with Austin’s spring festival season…The partial federal government shutdown remains in effect, and unanticipated delays may continue to occur.”
Significant multi-hour lines have also been seen at airports in Houston, Atlanta and New Orleans over the last week.
The Department of Homeland Security responded Friday:
SHUTDOWN WATCH
The lapse in funding has left about 50,000 TSA agents working without pay for nearly four weeks. More than 300 TSA officers have also left the workforce, and unscheduled absences have doubled since the shutdown began. Statistics show that about 95% of TSA officers are still showing up to work as of last week.
The partial government shutdown — which affects only Department of Homeland Security funding — began Feb. 14. DHS oversees the TSA, FEMA, and immigration enforcement. The shutdown stems from Democrats' disagreement with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement.
The shutdown has had little impact on Immigration and Customs Enforcement after Congress approved tens of billions of dollars of funding for Trump's immigration agenda last year.