TSA Crisis Deepens as Staff Quit Amid Shutdown
A U.S. funding standoff is disrupting aviation operations, as around 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers continue working without pay, raising safety concerns.
Senior TSA official Ha McNeill told Congress that 460 officers have resigned during the current shutdown, following 1,110 departures in 2025. Absenteeism has exceeded 10 percent, while spring break travel demand is about 5 percent higher than last year. Some airports have reported wait times of up to 4.5 hours, with over 30 percent staff absence at major hubs.
McNeill cited severe financial hardship among workers, including reports of officers sleeping in cars, taking multiple jobs, and facing eviction or missed payments.
To ease pressure, personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other DHS units have been deployed at 14 airports, though they do not fully replace TSA roles.
The crisis stems from political disagreements over immigration policies, with lawmakers divided on DHS funding. A proposal has been introduced to grant a 10 percent bonus to affected employees.
