Dem Lawmaker Demands TSA Reinstate Shoes-Off Airport Security

Sen. Tammy Duckworth calls former DHS Secretary's decision to end policy a 'reckless act' that compromises public safety.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:04am

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A dynamic, abstract painting depicting the overlapping, geometric shapes of passengers' shoes moving through a security checkpoint, conveying the motion and tension of the political debate around airport security protocols.A fractured, avant-garde illustration captures the chaotic energy and security concerns surrounding the TSA's controversial shoes-off policy change.Washington Today

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is calling on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to immediately reinstate its controversial policy requiring travelers to remove their shoes before going through airport security checkpoints. Duckworth says former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's decision last summer to end the 'shoes-off' policy was a 'reckless act' that may put flyers at risk.

Why it matters

The shoes-off policy was implemented in 2006 after a failed terrorist attempt to detonate explosives hidden in shoes. Duckworth argues that a classified watchdog report found TSA scanners cannot effectively screen shoes, creating a new security vulnerability that the former DHS secretary failed to address.

The details

Duckworth wrote a letter to Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, stating that Noem's policy change 'inadvertently created a new security vulnerability' and that the TSA's lack of response may violate federal law by missing a legally required 90-day deadline to outline corrective actions. The senator accused Noem, who was recently removed by President Trump, of prioritizing politics over public safety.

  • The shoes-off policy was implemented in 2006 after a failed terrorist attempt.
  • Noem ended the policy on July 8, 2025.
  • Duckworth wrote her letter to the TSA in April 2026.

The players

Sen. Tammy Duckworth

A Democratic senator from Illinois who is calling on the TSA to reinstate the shoes-off airport security policy.

Kristi Noem

The former Department of Homeland Security Secretary who ended the shoes-off policy in July 2025, which Duckworth calls a 'reckless act'.

Ha Nguyen McNeill

The Acting Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.

President Donald Trump

The former president who removed Kristi Noem from her position as DHS Secretary and replaced her with Markwayne Mullin.

Markwayne Mullin

The current Department of Homeland Security Secretary.

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What they’re saying

“Secretary Noem's decision to implement a shoes on policy on July 8, 2025, likely without meaningful consultation with TSA, was a reckless act.”

— Sen. Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator

“Allowing a potentially catastrophic security deficiency to remain in place for seven months and counting betrays TSA's mission.”

— Sen. Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator

“Such inaction violates Federal law, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance and DHS's own directives.”

— Sen. Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator

What’s next

Duckworth is demanding the TSA immediately reverse the policy change and outline corrective actions in response to the classified watchdog report.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing tensions between political priorities and national security, as well as the challenges of maintaining effective airport security protocols in the face of evolving threats and technological limitations.