File photo: the busy TSA security checkpoint in Pittsburgh International’s Landside terminal in 2019.

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Jasmine Laws

By Jasmine Laws

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Some smaller airports may have to close as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages strain passenger screening operations during the ongoing partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown.

Officials say rising TSA call-out rates (unscheduled absences by frontline officers) are pushing some airports toward a "breaking point," with security waits reportedly exceeding three hours and some passengers missing flights.

"If this continues, it’s not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports—particularly smaller ones if call-out rates go up," Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News.

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A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek on Wednesday the shutdown was leaving some TSA officers struggling to cover basic expenses, including food and commuting costs, which had contributed to elevated call-out rates and staffing shortages.

"As these situations arise, TSA officials evaluate operations on an airport-to-airport basis and adjust accordingly," said the spokesperson.

File photo: A busy TSA security checkpoint is seen in Pittsburgh International's Landside terminal in 2019.

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Why It Matters

The partial shutdown stems from a congressional standoff over DHS funding and immigration enforcement policy, leaving TSA officers working without pay and airport screening operations increasingly strained.

If the impasse continues, DHS says screening disruptions could worsen, particularly at smaller airports with fewer staffing reserves.

What To Know

Stahl's warning came after DHS said on Tuesday that 366 TSA employees had left since the shutdown began on February 14.

The department also said TSA officers were having to work without pay, subjecting them to "undue financial and emotional pressure," and that call-out rates had more than doubled nationally, with some airports seeing far sharper spikes.

DHS said employees struggling to pay for essentials such as rent, food and gas were more likely to leave their jobs, increasing attrition. It added that TSA "simply cannot afford to lose its screening workforce as it takes four to six months to train new recruits."

On Sunday and Monday, call-outs spiked at more than 50 percent in Houston and 30 percent in New Orleans and Atlanta, resulting in fewer officers screening an ever-growing number of travelers, the department added.

Typically, the TSA average call-out rate is about 2 percent. During the last shutdown, TSA saw attrition rates of 25 percent at some airports. During the current shutdown, the highest single-day airport call-out rate was 55 percent at William P. Hobby Airport on March 14.

The airports seeing the highest average call-out rates over the shutdown so far include:

"These numbers illustrate the severe operational strain caused by the shutdown, underscoring the urgent need for resolution to restore stability, morale, and security at America’s airports," said a DHS statement on Tuesday.

Republicans and Democrats have blamed each other for the funding impasse, with Republicans accusing Democrats of holding up DHS funding over immigration policy and Democrats saying Republicans blocked efforts to fund TSA and other non-immigration agencies while talks continue.

"Because of this DHS shutdown, Americans are facing hours-long waits at airports across the country," Lauren Bis, Acting Assistant Secretary for DHS, told Newsweek on Tuesday. "Democrats must reopen DHS now."

What People Are Saying

A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek on Wednesday**:** "As the Democrat-led DHS shutdown rages on, TSA officers are facing the difficult decision of either putting food on the table for their children or paying for gas to commute to work.

"This has led to high call-out rates, causing significant staffing constraints. As these situations arise, TSA officials evaluate operations on an airport-to-airport basis and adjust accordingly."

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X on Tuesday: "Democrats are denying the pay of roughly 120,000 employees of the Department of Homeland Security—fueling the third longest shutdown in American history. They REFUSE to reopen TSA and FEMA unless they can reopen our borders for criminal illegal aliens. There is really only one word to describe their position: CRAZY!"

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, wrote on X: "Democrats have offered legislation to fund TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA while we continue ICE negotiations. Republicans BLOCKED the funding. We must fund TSA, Coast Guard and FEMA TODAY."

Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, wrote on X: "Democrats offered to fund TSA. Republicans blocked it. Now they want to hand more money to ICE without reform. They control the whole of government, but can’t seem to govern."

What Happens Next

It remains unclear when the shutdown will end as Republicans and Democrats continue to disagree over DHS funding and immigration enforcement policy.

Update 3/18/26, 12:55 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comment from DHS.

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