Federal officials are deploying additional support to ease mounting security delays at Houston airports, as staffing shortages continue to affect the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), TSA agents have been working without pay for more than 40 days due to the ongoing partial government shutdown that began in February. The situation has led to significant absenteeism, with nearly 500 officers quitting nationwide and callout rates exceeding 40% at both George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport.
DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis said travelers at the two Houston airports are facing some of the worst wait times in TSA history. At one point Friday, security lines at Bush stretched between 90 and 120 minutes, while Hobby saw shorter waits of around 10 minutes.
To address the strain, DHS said it is deploying “every available TSA resource,” including officers from other Texas airports and specialized National Deployment Officers. In addition, personnel from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been sent to assist in support roles. While earlier guidance indicated ICE officers would not handle screening duties, some were seen checking travelers’ identification at security checkpoints.
The staffing crisis comes as lawmakers move to resolve the funding gap. The United States Senate has passed a bill to fund most DHS operations, including TSA, and the measure is now under consideration in the United States House of Representatives.
