Travelers heading out for spring break encountered unusually long airport security lines over the weekend as a lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security began affecting staffing levels at checkpoints across the country.
According to Fox News, at several airports, passengers reported waiting hours to clear security.
Houston Hobby Airport in Texas saw lines stretch to an average of about 3.5 hours at one point on Sunday, per Reuters.
Meanwhile, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport advised travelers to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departures.
Officials say the situation could worsen if the funding lapse continues.
Lauren Bis, the Department of Homeland Security’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, blamed the delays on what she described as a political standoff over funding.
“Today, travelers are facing TSA lines of up to nearly 3 hours long at some major airports, causing missed flights and massive delays during peak travel,” Bis told Fox News Digital.
She said Transportation Security Administration officers are being required to continue working even as the shutdown affects their pay.
“These political stunts force patriotic TSA officers, who protect our skies from serious threats, to work without pay,” Bis said.
According to Bis, some officers already received only partial paychecks earlier this month and now face missing their first full paycheck.
“These frontline heroes received only partial paychecks earlier this month and now face their first full missed paycheck, leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages,” she said.
The TSA acknowledged that staffing issues could impact security wait times.
A TSA spokesperson told Fox News Digital that travelers should arrive at airports as early as possible to avoid missing flights.
“As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case-by-case basis and adjust operations accordingly,” the spokesperson said.
Airline industry leaders are also warning that the situation is beginning to disrupt travel schedules.
Flights have already been delayed, and some passengers have missed their departures due to the long lines at security checkpoints, according to Reuters.
Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu urged lawmakers and the administration to resolve the dispute quickly.
“Congress and the administration must act with urgency to reach a deal that reopens DHS and ends this shutdown,” Sununu said in a statement.
“America’s transportation security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage.”
According to Reuters, Sununu said TSA officers are expected to receive their first empty paycheck on Friday.
The agency has already faced staffing challenges in recent months.
TSA official Ha Nguyen McNeill told Congress earlier this year that about 1,110 transportation security officers left the agency in October and November 2025 during a 42-day government shutdown.
The delays are coming at a particularly busy time for travel.
With the World Cup less than 100 days away, staffing shortages at airport checkpoints could become an increasing concern.
Training new TSA officers can take several months, typically between four and six.
