U.S. airports continued to report long security lines on Sunday despite an executive order by Donald Trump directing emergency pay for Transportation Security Administration officers, as staffing shortages tied to a prolonged Department of Homeland Security funding lapse persisted and immigration officers remained deployed to assist.
The order, issued Friday, instructed the Department of Homeland Security to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration employees. The directive came during a peak travel period that includes spring break and upcoming holidays such as Passover and Easter. Officials have not specified when travelers will see improvements in wait times.
The funding lapse, which began on Valentine’s Day, reached 44 days on Sunday. Tens of thousands of TSA employees have worked without pay during that period, and nearly 500 officers have left the agency, according to DHS.
The administration deployed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports to assist with security operations as TSA staffing declined. White House border official Tom Homan said Sunday that ICE agents will remain at airports until TSA staffing returns to normal levels.
Officials said TSA officers could begin receiving back pay as early as Monday or Tuesday. However, union representatives from the American Federation of Government Employees said some workers remain concerned about delays in processing full compensation.
Airports across the country continued to advise passengers to arrive early. George Bush Intercontinental Airport warned that wait times could reach four hours. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport advised travelers to arrive at least four hours before flights. LaGuardia Airport reported longer-than-usual security lines, while Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport issued similar guidance.
Some airports reinstated estimated wait-time tracking after temporarily removing it earlier in the week due to fluctuating staffing levels and passenger volumes.
Officials and analysts said it remains unclear how quickly conditions will improve. Some estimates suggest longer wait times could continue for one to two weeks as staffing stabilizes and agencies adjust operations.
