- A Trump administration official has warned that airports could be forced to close if TSA workers continued to go unpaid during a partial government shutdown.
- The Department of Homeland Security shutdown, which began in mid-February, has resulted in hours-long security lines at airports as thousands of TSA employees missed their first full paycheck. Most TSA agents have continued to work, although over 300 have resigned since the shutdown started.
- “If this continues, it's not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones, if callout rates go up and a lot of these officers can't afford to come in," Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl said Tuesday.
- Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other for the funding impasse, with Democrats seeking restrictions on immigration enforcement tactics.
- President Donald Trump has encouraged TSA employees to keep working, thanking those who do, while a TSA union official hoped for a rapid resolution to the shutdown.
IN FULL
Government shutdown could lead to airports being closed, TSA official warns
