Air Travel and Airport Security

The month‑long DHS funding lapse has left roughly 60,000 TSA employees working without pay, prompting hundreds of resignations (more than 300 by several counts), soaring unscheduled‑absence rates — about 36% of Houston’s staff called out on one day and national sick‑outs topped 10% — and multi‑hour security waits and checkpoint closures at major hubs. With Congress feuding over ICE reforms and piecemeal funding, ICE agents have been deployed at some airports to assist with crowd control while TSA warns unpaid officers are facing severe hardship—sleeping in cars, relying on food pantries and donations, and in some cases selling or donating blood plasma—spurring airlines, airports and nonprofits to seek relief and press lawmakers to restore funding.