It’s the last day for Congress to pass legislation funding the Transportation Security Administration before their previously scheduled recess. As of March 26, six such measures already failed in the Senate, and it looks like lawmakers may have to work through at least part of what would be their spring break.
Spring break has already been a mess at airports around the country, reporting the “highest wait times in TSA history with some wait times greater than 4.5 hours,” according to the agency’s acting chief, Ha Nguyen McNeill.
Testifying before the House Committee on Homeland Security on March 25, McNeill said more than 480 TSA officers have quit since the partial government shutdown began in February − the third this fiscal year − and “multiple major airports are experiencing days where 40-50% of their staff are calling out because they simply cannot afford to report to work.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been brought into airports around the country this week to ease wait times, though long lines persist in many cases.
How Early Should I Arrive at the Airport? How to See TSA Wait Times
Travelers are typically advised to arrive two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights, but many are being advised to get to the airport even sooner amid the shutdown.
TSA is not updating wait times on its MyTSA mobile app during the government shutdown, but some airports are posting wait times on their respective websites and social media.
Airports like Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport post expected wait times on their websites. Still, a large percentage of airports do not offer this service and instead advise travelers to arrive hours before their expected departure time.
Independent websites, including Airport Insight and TSA Wait Times, offer real-time information on security wait times at airports.
Can I Change a Flight I Already Booked?
Depending on the airline and fare class, travelers may be able to rebook upcoming flights to avoid the current situation at airports.
Delta Air Lines is giving travelers flying out of Atlanta extra flexibility with a waiver through March 30. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the busiest in the world by passenger volume and is Delta’s main hub. It’s also been one of the hardest hit in terms of TSA wait times during the partial government shutdown.
For Delta passengers whose travel originates in Atlanta (not those who are just connecting through the hub), the waiver gives some extra rebooking options.
If you’re flying Delta through March 30, you can rebook your ticket and travel by April 6 in the same fare class without paying a fare difference or change fee. If you rebook but choose to travel after April 6, a fare difference may apply.
Which Airports Are ICE in?
CNN and The Washington Post have reported that ICE agents were sent to the following 14 airports:
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York (JFK)
- LaGuardia Airport in New York (LGA)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
- Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport near San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
- Southwest Florida International Airport near Fort Myers (RSW)
- William P. Hobby Airport in Houston (HOU)
ICE officers have also been reported at the following airports:
- Washington Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia (DCA)
- Dulles International Airport in Virginia (IAD)
Additional airports could be added, particularly if there are high call-outs, the Washington Post reported, citing Los Angeles International Airport’s former TSA Director Keith Jeffries.
DHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Lauren Bis, told USA TODAY the agency would not confirm the locations of ICE agents, citing “operational security reasons.”
Why Is ICE at Airports and What Are Officers Doing There?
President Donald Trump sent ICE agents to airports to help ease TSA staffing shortages tied to the more than month-long partial government shutdown, during which TSA officers are unpaid.
On March 22, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, who’s been tasked with the operation, told CNN’s “State of the Union”: “I don’t see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine, because they’re not trained in that, but there are certain parts of security that TSA’s doing, and we can move them off those jobs and put them in the specialized jobs and help move those lines.”
Homeland Security’s Bis confirmed to USA TODAY that “after receiving standard TSA training curriculum, ICE officers are guarding entrances and exits, assisting with logistics, doing crowd control, and verifying identification using TSA equipment and standard operating procedures.”
Why Pay ICE but Not TSA?
ICE agents are continuing to receive their regular pay because they are classified as funded, essential personnel within the Department of Homeland Security. TSA officers are also considered essential and must work during a shutdown, but they are not being paid because their funding is tied to a stalled appropriations process in Congress.
The difference is in the funding structure. ICE has access to a much larger, longer-term funding stream, while TSA relies more directly on annual appropriations that have lapsed. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave DHS more than $170 billion in funding for immigration enforcement through 2029, including close to $75 billion for ICE.
Meanwhile, McNeill said TSA workers have now missed nearly $1 billion in paychecks.
“Many in our workforce have missed bill payments, received eviction notices, had their cars repossessed and utilities shut off, lost their childcare, defaulted on loans, damaged their credit line and drained their retirement savings,” she said. “Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet, all while being expected to perform at the highest level when in uniform to protect the traveling public.”
Contributing: Zach Wichter, Nathan Diller, Nicole Fallert, Michelle Del Rey, Ignacio Calderón and Lauren Villagran; USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flying this weekend? What to know before going to the airport.
Reporting by Eve Chen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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