TSA Wait Times May Not Improve Anytime Soon

Travelers face long security lines as government shutdown drags on, impacting TSA staffing

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:20am

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The ongoing partial government shutdown has led to staffing shortages at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), resulting in lengthy security lines at airports across the country. With TSA workers missing paychecks and many taking unscheduled time off, the situation is not expected to improve any time soon as the dispute over immigration reform in Congress continues.

Why it matters

The TSA staffing issues caused by the government shutdown are disrupting air travel nationwide, with some airports reporting security wait times of over 3 hours. This is impacting millions of passengers, especially as the busy spring break travel season approaches. The shutdown is also causing financial hardship for TSA workers who live paycheck-to-paycheck.

The details

The partial government shutdown has impacted funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the TSA. As a result, TSA workers are missing paychecks, leading many to take unscheduled time off or seek other jobs. Airports in Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, Charlotte, and others have reported extreme security delays. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs remain open, but the standard security lanes are severely understaffed.

  • The government shutdown began in mid-February 2026.
  • TSA workers received only partial paychecks on February 28, 2026.
  • TSA workers will miss their first full paycheck on March 14, 2026.

The players

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The federal agency responsible for airport security screening in the United States.

Johnny Jones

Secretary-treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100, the union which represents TSA employees.

Kristi Noem

Former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who was fired by President Trump.

Markwayne Mullin

Oklahoma Senator who was tapped by President Trump to replace Kristi Noem as the new DHS Secretary starting March 31, 2026.

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What they’re saying

“It seems like (lawmakers) are having a problem doing their job, which is passing funding bill would allow us to be paid.”

— Johnny Jones, Secretary-treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100 (CNN)

“This (shutdown) is a catastrophe for the workforce.”

— Johnny Jones, Secretary-treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100 (CNN)

What’s next

Congress would need to pass legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security in order to resolve the TSA staffing issues caused by the ongoing partial government shutdown.

The takeaway

The TSA staffing crisis caused by the government shutdown is severely disrupting air travel nationwide, with long security lines impacting millions of passengers. This highlights the need for Congress to find a bipartisan solution to fund the Department of Homeland Security and protect essential federal workers like the TSA from the impacts of future government shutdowns.