DeSantis questioned the TSA's effectiveness, asking if there is evidence it has made air travel safer over the past 25 years. He argued that airports and airlines could handle security screening instead of the federal government. DeSantis proposes replacing the TSA with private security protocols similar to those used at large concert venues and sports stadiums. He has signaled he may seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, adding political weight to his proposal.
The debate over privatizing airport security has reignited since funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed in February, forcing TSA agents and air traffic controllers to work without pay. Hundreds of TSA agents and air traffic controllers have called out from their jobs or quit due to working without pay. More than 400 TSA agents have quit their jobs since the shutdown began on Feb. 14. As a result of staffing shortages, some of the nation’s largest airports have seen long TSA wait times and flight delays.
Major airport systems across the country from Houston to New York reported hours-long wait times in security lines on Monday. Travelers at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport are standing for hours in security lines amid TSA staff shortages. Passengers described wait times of five hours, with nearly everyone missing their flights. The longest wait times at Jacksonville International Airport on Monday were about 20 minutes. On Tuesday, the TSA staffing shortage at Houston's airport was around 36% and has hovered in that range in recent days.
Transportation Security Administration personnel are set to miss a second full paycheck on March 27 amid a partial government shutdown now in its 36th day. This Friday will mark the second full pay period in which TSA agents will miss their paychecks, leading thousands to call off work. The 38-day shutdown is the second-largest in U.S. history and continues to wreak havoc on U.S. travelers due to staffing shortages at airports. The spring break travel season has appeared to worsen airports' staffing constraints.
A new House bill, the End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act, would ensure members of Congress go through the same airport security screenings as everyday Americans during the shutdown. The bill would ban the use of taxpayer dollars to give lawmakers special treatment and require them to go through the same security screenings as everyday Americans. The measure would keep restrictions for lawmakers in place even after DHS funding is restored. TSA has paused lawmaker escorts since the beginning of the funding lapse, but members of Congress could still be receiving special assistance at airports from other entities. The Senate approved Senator John Cornyn's bill by unanimous consent last Thursday.
ICE personnel have been reassigned to assist, but their presence was not evident along security lines this morning. ICE agents were deployed to several major airports, including in New York, Chicago and Atlanta, to help with delays. At Jacksonville International Airport, officials say they have not been contacted by ICE to assist with TSA operations during the shutdown. ICE agents are not specifically trained for airport security, which is TSA's domain.
The Senate may be closing in on a deal that would fund DHS except for ICE and end the six-week partial government shutdown. ICE has already been funded separately through 2029 by last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
While TSA is the main transportation security agency in the U.S., some smaller airports use private security. Roughly 20 airports in the U.S. rely on private security companies that participate in TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, rather than on government agents. Those airports using private security are less impacted during government shutdowns because private companies can continue to pay their employees. Some supporters of the proposal say privatizing screening could improve efficiency, pointing to airports like San Francisco International Airport where private contractors handle screening under federal oversight.
Critics say there are dangers in privatizing airport security. The American Federation of Government Employees, the labor union that represents roughly 47,000 transportation security officers, said safety could be compromised because security contracts typically go to the lowest bidder. The union alleges private companies will be more focused on profit, rather than workers’ well-being, which can lead to staffing issues.
A 2023 Government Accountability Office report found that TSA could be better at ensuring dangerous items are scanned properly and that screening technology degrades over time. A 2024 Government Accountability Office report recommended that TSA address potential cybersecurity threats.
In 2023, TSA said it had prevented more than 6,700 firearms, most of which were loaded, being brought into a secure area of the airport or onboard an aircraft. There is little data on airport security checkpoints’ failure rate.
Frustration among travelers was not primarily directed at TSA officers; many expressed sympathy for them. A proposal from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to eliminate the TSA drew mixed reactions from travelers, aviation experts and lawmakers. A traveler described missing multiple flights due to long wait times. A pilot described a flight departing with just 50 passengers on a 220-seat aircraft amid the disruptions.
DeSantis has argued against political interference, stating that politicians should not have the power to play games with people's travel. U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson highlighted the impact, saying TSA agents are working without pay and many American families are facing 4-plus-hour wait times at airports during spring break. She added that some Members of Congress are avoiding the chaos they’ve created by getting preferential treatment and skipping the lines at airports. An aviation expert described that allowing airlines or local governments to manage screening could increase the risk of dangerous items making it onto planes.