Travelers across the country are facing extraordinary delays at airport security checkpoints, with some waiting more than four hours just to get through screening, according to testimony delivered on Capitol Hill.
According to the New York Post, during a congressional hearing on Wednesday, Transportation Security Administration Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill described a system under intense strain, warning that the agency is struggling to maintain normal operations.
“It is a fluid, challenging, and unpredictable situation. We understand this is frustrating and disruptive,” she said. “This is unacceptable.”
McNeill told lawmakers that the agency is being pushed to consolidate resources and may even be forced to shut down operations at smaller airports if staffing shortages continue to worsen.
An exodus of workers has compounded the situation. More than 480 Transportation Security Officers have quit since the Department of Homeland Security shutdown began on Feb. 14, with the number continuing to climb.
Absenteeism is also surging. On Sunday, TSA recorded an 11.76% nationwide call-out rate, the highest level since the shutdown started. At some locations, nearly half of the scheduled officers failed to report for duty.
Before the shutdown, those call-out rates hovered around 2%, according to Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl.
The agency is also grappling with a sharp increase in workplace violence. McNeill testified that assaults against TSA officers have risen by 500%, adding another layer of concern for an already strained workforce.
To ease the burden, President Donald Trump authorized the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to assist at airports. McNeill said these agents are handling “non-specialized screening functions” after undergoing rapid training.
“We’ve been spending time training them the last few days,” she said. “And we’re seeing relief, signs of early relief at the airports.”
“It’s been incredibly helpful to alleviate the burden on our workforce. And we’re getting positive feedback from passengers and our field leadership.”
Despite those short-term measures, McNeill warned that the long-term outlook remains troubling. With TSA officers requiring six months of training, the agency may struggle to quickly rebuild staffing levels.
She specifically raised concerns about preparedness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, noting that ongoing disruptions could leave airports understaffed during the global event.
“As the shutdown drags on, we will likely see our attrition rates continue to spike, which means that we may not have the adequate headcount to staff the airports that are supporting the FIFA locations adequately,” she explained.
“The ongoing shutdown is also impacting our ability to procure and deploy technology, from checkpoint technology to some of our counter UAS [unmanned aerial vehicle] technology, in advance of the FIFA World Cup,” McNeill continued. “So we’re really running short on time.”
