Due to the partial government shutdown, the Transportation Security Administration, also known as the TSA, was struggling. But it’s not only TSA agents who were affected by this, but people traveling are also facing repercussions.
According to The Providence Journal, the shutdown has been in place for over a month now due to Senate Democrats’ and Republicans’ inability to reach a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
As a result, TSA agents were being forced to work without pay. According to USA Today, around 300 agents quit after missing their first paycheck, and many were also calling out, causing a lack of airport security.
Without a paycheck, TSA agents were having to pick up second jobs and rely on food pantries for their groceries. According to CNN, “Some have opted to withdraw thousands of dollars from their retirement accounts to pay the bills, and others are borrowing from family and friends.”
It isn’t the TSA agents’ fault that they’re weren’t getting paid; most people probably wouldn’t show up to work if they weren’t receiving a paycheck. However, that doesn’t change the fact that a lack of staff is going to lead to a more chaotic airport.
TSA agents are crucial for the safety of every passenger on a plane. They have hours of training and experience to help them detect illegal weapons.
However, since so many agents were leaving the job, traveling became more difficult and stressful. People were having to wait hours to get through security, causing them to spend hours at the airport before their flight. And in some instances, even after waiting hours in line, their scheduled flights end up being cancelled.
As stated by CNN, “There were nearly 600 cancellations across both the Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports.”
At one point, United States immigration officers stepped in and began helping out at major airports to get people through security faster.
According to NBC News, although ICE agents aren’t trained with the technology that can detect weapons used by TSA agents, they are trained to help control crowds, check IDs, and monitor large groups. These skills can help security lines move faster and more smoothly.
There were still many TSA agents showing up to work, knowing they weren’t getting paid, so some airports were asking for donations, including the Salt Lake City Airport, which opened its food pantry to all TSA agents whenever they needed it.
Although they are now receiving their paychecks, it is good to see how the community came together to support these TSA agents.
