(The Center Square) – Houston area airports have among the longest wait times in the U.S. as the partial federal government shutdown continues without Transportation Security Agents last being paid on Feb. 14.
According to TSAwaittimes.com, there are no wait times at most airports in the country except for a handful of airports. Local news reports tell a different story.
Flight lines and wait times are topping four hours at Houston’s two busiest airports. The reason is because airports haven’t reduced security screening requirements and nearly half of TSA agents aren’t showing up to work after not being paid for more than a month.
At Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), 42.4% of TSA officers aren’t coming to work. Even more, 47.4%, aren’t coming to work at Hobby International Airport, according to recent data, KHOU 11 News reported.
Airports are also issuing updates on social media, including fast track lanes (CLEAR) and TSA Pre-Check lanes either being closed entirely or only accessible at some terminals.
On Tuesday, IAH reported that both “CLEAR and TSA PreCheck are not available.”
After U.S. Senate Democrats continue to vote against funding federal law enforcement agents, President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to help with airport security. Agents began showing up to airports on Monday. They are currently at both airports.
Lines and wait times are slightly less at Austin-Berstrom International Airport with the airport recommending that passengers arrive 2.5 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights.
Dallas Fort Worth Airport is not reporting any issues even during spring break. It’s standard travel advisory is to arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
Dallas Love Field Office also isn’t reporting issues. TSA wait times on Tuesday were eight minutes for general boarding and one minute for TSA Pre-Check.
However, the airport is expressing appreciation and concern for federal employees, saying, “This is a friendly reminder that while wait times may vary, our TSA partners continue to show up every day to do their part. We are so thankful for their commitment to keeping everyone safe.” It also says it is accepting donations for federal workers including non-perishable and household items and gas/grocery gift cards.
According to Flightqueue.com, flight reliability at IAH is 42.67% and 40% at DFW on Tuesday.
On Tuesday afternoon, members of the Republican Study Committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, are holding a press conference at Reagan International Airport to highlight “the real-world consequences of Congressional Democrats’ ongoing refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security.” The funding impasse has forced TSA agents, U.S. Coast Guard, and other critical DHS personnel to work without pay, “putting an undue burden on the individuals who protect America’s national security,” he argues.
U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Republicans have also been raising concerns about the ongoing funding lapse as Senate Democrats continue to block a U.S. House-passed bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 DHS appropriations bill. Since mid-February, roughly 250,000 DHS employees have either been forced to work without pay because they are designated essential employees or they have been put on leave.
Pfluger, who also chairs the U.S. House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, said Senate Democrats were “deliberately blocking DHS employees, 100,000 employees, from doing their jobs … to protect America, to protect Americans. They are voting against the same people that are there to protect them.
“There are reports out of places, like DFW, that TSA agents are having to sell plasma just to make ends meet and to pay the bills. I mean, this is one of the most tragic things that I have seen that they can’t even come to the table to fund the people that are there to protect them, their families, their kids, and their communities.”
Senate Democrats are blocking funding DHS over their opposition to immigration enforcement.
The RSC argues, “The Left would rather protect illegal aliens who broke the law to enter this country than fund the workers protecting you. That is not a byproduct of the Left’s politics. That is their politics. It’s outrageous.”
