Funding to pay Transportation Security Administration officers may be on its way soon, but despite this, frontline workers and hours-long lines of travelers at US airports may not return to normal right away.

The government shutdown has created a TSA shortfall, resulting in long lines at airport security checkpoints across the US.

Ha Nguyen McNeill, Deputy Administrator of the TSA, said, "We are being forced to consolidate lanes and may have to close smaller airports if we do not have enough officers. It's a fluid, challenging ...

A TSA agent checks a passenger’s ticket and boarding pass at Ohare Airport in Chicago, Thursday, March 26, 2026.