HOUSTON – It has been one month since parts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security shut down, and the impact is being felt at airports nationwide — especially as spring break travel ramps up.
In Houston, staffing strain has shown up in long security lines at local airports. At William P. Hobby Airport, the situation appeared improved compared to last weekend, when some travelers reported waiting as long as three hours to clear TSA checkpoints. Those lines stretched deep into the terminal as spring break crowds began increasing.
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The travel disruptions come as a senior TSA official told NBC News that more than 300 Transportation Security Administration employees have quit since the shutdown began. TSA employees are considered essential workers, meaning they are required to report to work even though they are not being fully paid.
According to the TSA union, workers received only a half-paycheck about two weeks ago and have already missed one full paycheck since the shutdown started.
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security expired February 13, creating a partial shutdown at midnight on February 14 after federal lawmakers clashed over the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies. Since then, the staffing pressure has contributed to delays at airports across the country, including Houston, frustrating travelers trying to leave town.
With thousands more passengers expected to fly out of Houston-area airports in the coming weeks, travelers are being advised to arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and to consider arriving even earlier during peak travel times.