Warnings Airports May Soon Close As Government Shutdown Leaves TSA Workers Unpaid
As the partial government shutdown entered day 34 on Thursday, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lines at some airports around the U.S. are stretching outside of terminals, with some travelers told to arrive up to three hours before their flight.
AIRPORT WARNING: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Thursday that if a partial government shutdown continues, small airports could be forced to shut down.
The FAA defines "small hubs" as airports that receive 0.05 to 0.25 percent of the annual U.S. passenger boardings. There are about 75 small hubs in the U.S., about 40 medium hubs, and 20 large hubs. Duffy didn’t mention specific airports.
More than 350 workers have quit since the start of the shutdown, and absenteeism is rising to about 10%. At airports in Atlanta and New Orleans, nearly 40% of officers called out Tuesday. At Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport, wait times at certain points have climbed to over 2 hours. Some airports’ checkpoints are even temporarily shutting down.
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
Roughly 50,000 TSA officers have been working without pay since mid-February, leading to rising absences, resignations, and staffing shortages at some airports.
The shutdown is tied to a funding fight over the Department of Homeland Security, which also oversees ICE and immigration enforcement.
TSA workers, many making around $50,000 a year, haven’t been paid since mid-February.
While they are expected to receive back pay, union officials warn the system is nearing a breaking point if the standoff continues.
ON CAPITOL HILL
At this point it doesn’t look like Republicans and Democrats are close to a deal to restore funding. Democrats are still refusing to fund DHS— which oversees the TSA— unless immigration enforcement policies are changed. (DHS also oversees ICE.)
Democrats want concrete changes to immigration enforcement—like the end of masking by agents—before they fund the department.
SENATE: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) suggested Thursday that the Senate’s planned recess next week could be canceled if DHS funding isn’t secured. His comments came as bipartisan lawmakers met with border czar Tom Homan, though they reportedly remain far apart.
HOUSE: House Democrats introduced a discharge petition Wednesday to fund other DHS agencies (like TSA) outside of immigration enforcement, but they are unlikely to gain the Republicans votes needed to advance it. Republicans want all of DHS funded and are currently unwilling to just fund individual agencies like TSA.