Overview
- The Department of Homeland Security began issuing retroactive wages to tens of thousands of TSA employees, and many airports report shorter security lines and more lanes back in service.
- White House border adviser Tom Homan said ICE agents will remain at several airports until TSA can run normal operations, with teams helping with ID checks and line management.
- The TSA workforce remains strained, with about 500 resignations since mid‑February and peak daily absences topping 3,450 to 3,560 late last week before easing to about 2,800, according to DHS figures reported by CNN.
- Recovery is uneven, with Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental still posting longer‑than‑normal waits even as JFK, LAX, and Baltimore/Washington show sharp improvements.
- Workers describe deep financial harm from weeks without pay and lingering uncertainty about future checks, while media and advocacy groups urge travelers to arrive early and carry identity or immigration documents given ICE’s presence and reports of some arrests.