WASHINGTON — Airline passengers are experiencing some of the highest security wait times in the 25-year-history of the Transportation Security Administration — with some taking more than four-and-a-half hours to make it through checkpoints, a top official told Congress Wednesday.
TSA acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified to the House Homeland Security Committee that her beleaguered agency is “being forced to consolidate” and “may have to close smaller airports if we do not have enough officers.”
“It is a fluid, challenging and unpredictable situation. We understand this is frustrating and disruptive,” she added. “This is unacceptable.”
More than 480 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) have quit during the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, McNeill revealed, warning that the figure is rapidly growing.
On Sunday, the TSA recorded a shocking 11.76% nationwide call-out rate among officers still on the payroll, the highest figure since the shutdown began Feb. 14, according to the latest figures. At some airports, call-out rates have jumped as high as between 40% and 50%.
Before the partial shutdown, call-out rates were around 2%, according to McNeill’s deputy, Adam Stahl.
In other shocking testimony, McNeill claimed assaults against TSA officers are up 500%.
The acting administrator commended President Trump for deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to airports around the country to alleviate staffing pressures that have led to long wait times.
She explained that the agents are performing “non-specialized screening functions.”
“We’ve been spending time training them the last few days,” McNeill claimed. “And we’re seeing relief, signs of early relief at the airports.
“It’s been incredibly helpful to alleviate the burden on our workforce. And we’re getting positive feedback from passengers and our field leadership.”
Long-term, however, she expressed concern that the shutdown could wear down TSA’s ability to prevent terrorist attacks.
Given the six-month training requirement for TSOs, McNeill said she was particularly worried that the funding lapse is undermining preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off in June with MetLife Stadium due to host the final July 19.
“As the shutdown drags on, we will likely see our attrition rates continue to spike, which means that we may not have the adequate headcount to staff the airports that are supporting the FIFA locations adequately,” she explained.
“The ongoing shutdown is also impacting our ability to procure and deploy technology, from checkpoint technology to some of our counter UAS [unmanned aerial vehicle] technology, in advance of the FIFA World Cup,” McNeill continued. “So we’re really running short on time.”
