The Digester
general

TSA warns airports may close as shutdown causes record security delays

Acting TSA head told a House hearing that mass callouts, growing resignations and record wait times driven by the DHS funding standoff could force temporary airport closures while lawmakers debate a partial funding plan and ICE agents work at checkpoints.

Mar 25th 2026 · United States

Insights

  • Acting TSA chief Ha Nguyen McNeill told Congress callout rates rose from about 4% pre-shutdown to roughly 11% nationwide, with multiple airports above 40% and more than 480 officers quitting, producing record-long wait times.
  • TSA said it may have to consider temporarily closing some airports if staffing shortages continue.
  • ICE agents have been deployed to assist at checkpoints with nonspecialized screening and crowd management, but officials and unions dispute how much they have improved wait times.
  • A Senate proposal would fund most of the Department of Homeland Security but exclude ICE enforcement operations and has not won bipartisan support.
  • FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has about $3.6 billion remaining and roughly 10,000 disaster workers continue to be paid from that fund while other preparedness and grant work is paused.
  • TSA reported assaults on officers have increased more than 500% since the shutdown began.

Sources