The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration says air travelers are experiencing the highest airport wait times ever under her agency.
Lisa Mascaro And Kevin FrekingPassengers wait in a security checkpoint line at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Houston. Passengers wait in a security checkpoint line at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Houston.
Passengers and their bags are screened at a security checkpoint at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Houston. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Passengers wait in a security checkpoint line at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Houston. – Air travelers are experiencing the highest wait times ever under the Transportation Security Administration, the agency's acting head told Congress on Wednesday, as to end a funding impasse and put restraints on President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda met fierce resistance.facing unpaid airport workers — piling up bills and eviction notices, even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned that lawmakers must ensure"this never happens again."Yet on the 40th day of the standoff involving the Department of Homeland Security, there was no easy way out in sight. Neither Republican senators, who made the latest offer, nor Democrats, who are demanding more changes inTrump, who initially appeared to have given his nod to the deal, has declined to lend it his full support or put his political weight behind making sure it is approved. Top officials at agencies under the DHS umbrella spoke at a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee about the potential risks of security lapses unless the partial government shutdown comes to an end.DHS has gone without routine funding since mid-February. Democrats are insisting on changes to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations after the killings of two citizens in Minneapolis by federal officers during protests. The latest proposal would fund most of DHS except for the enforcement and removal operations of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement that have been central to the debate. The plan would cover other aspects of ICE as well as Customs and Border Protection. While the offer added some new restraints on immigration officers, including the use of body cameras, it excluded other policies that Democrats have demanded. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York pressed for “bold” changes at ICE.“They know this is crazy," said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. But conservative Republicans also panned the proposal, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from GOP leaders that they would address Trump's proof-of-citizenshipMcNeill, the acting TSA administrator, told lawmakers that multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates and more than 480 transportation security officers have now quit during the shutdown.“Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet, all while being expected to perform at the highest level when in uniform to protect the traveling public,” she said. McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports have experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.The top executive over Houston’s airport said security lines that have travelers waiting four hours or more could get longer if the political impasse was not soon settled. Lines that twist and turn across multiple floors at George Bush Intercontinental Airport have been the result of TSA only being able to staff one-third to one-half the usual number of checkpoint lines, said Jim Szczesniak, aviation director for Houston’s airport system. Trump’s decision to send ICE agents to the airports risks inflaming the situation, lawmakers have said. Video footage of at San Francisco International Airport drew outrage Monday from local officials, although it was unrelated to Trump's order to deploy immigration officers.FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund is “rapidly depleting,” Victoria Barton, a FEMA external affairs official, told lawmakers. FEMA is able to continue its disaster response and recovery work as long as that fund has money, and about 10,000 of its disaster workers continue being paid through it.Associated Press writers Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Russ Bynum in Houston and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.74 year old woman hit crossing South General McMullenLake Placid and Lake McQueeney are coming back after sitting emptyNew emissions test could cost Bexar County vehicle owners▶San Antonio attorney admits stealing over half a million dollars from children's inheritance.Watch 'Dangerous Lessons' Monday at 9 pmArrest made in deadly car racing accidentSpurs respond after viral video at game sparks backlashIs the 'smokable' hemp market about to be set ablaze?Reuniting items found along the Guadalupe River after the deadly floodsSA airport reports short TSA waitShould the city rename César Chávez Blvd?Shuttle driver rescues toddler from a busy roadDay 3: Erica Hernandez recaps evidence shownSan Antonio César Chávez march organizers, foundation disbands amid sexual abuse allegationsSAPD says 12-year-old killed in a street racing crash2026 César E. Chávez March for Justice cancelled▶Possible relief for a northeast side dangerous intersection.CORPUS CHRISTI TURNING TO SAN ANTONIO FOR ANSWERS TO ITS WATER CRISISBlind man says security pushed him down stairs, beat him in parking lot of North Side barDesfile Flambeau Iluminara la noche durante Fiesta
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Record-high passenger wait times at airports, but no deal yet on the 40th day of the shutdownThe acting head of the Transportation Security Administration says air travelers are experiencing the highest airport wait times ever under her agency.
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Record-high passenger wait times at airports, but no deal yet on the 40th day of the shutdownFEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is also at risk.
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