The Department of Homeland Security blamed Democrats for holding spring break travel “hostage for political points” as airport chaos swept the country Sunday, leaving travelers stuck in staggering security lines for hours during the partial government shutdown.
“The Democrats’ DHS shutdown has led to HOURS-long security lines at airports across the country, leading Americans to miss their spring break flights,” the department posted on X Sunday.
“There is ZERO reason for spring break travel to be held hostage for political points — Democrats must end this DHS shutdown NOW.”
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed on Feb. 14 after Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms demanded by Democrats, leaving about 50,000 TSA airport security screeners working without pay.
“@TSA officers are not the only ones paying the price for the Democrats’ DHS shutdown. Now the American people are facing THREE-hour wait times at airports,” the department wrote in a follow-up post.
“Democrats do not care about TSA officers going without pay, and they do not care about the millions of Americans missing flights and facing delays because of this reckless DHS shutdown.”
The Transportation Security Administration’s X account shared a similar message.
“Americans are now missing their flights because of the Democrats shutdown of DHS,” the TSA wrote.
“This chaos is a direct result of Democrats and their refusal to fund DHS. These political stunts force patriotic TSA officers, who protect our skies from serious threats, to work without pay.”
The TSA went on to bash Democrats for “shamelessly playing politics with national security, punishing hardworking TSA workers and their families.”
“Enough is enough: stop holding national security and everyday Americans hostage. Democrats must fund DHS now,” the TSA wrote.
Security wait times stretched up to four hours at major airports, including Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans and Houston, as staffing shortages affected Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
The Transportation Security Administration said travelers faced longer-than-average security lines at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Security lines surged at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport Sunday morning, triggering severe congestion.
The airport warned passengers of “longer-than-average lines” and advised travelers to “arrive at least 3 hours before their scheduled departure.”
Similarly, travelers at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport were told to arrive four to five hours early because security lines stretched beyond three hours, CBS News reported.
Airlines are bracing for a record spring travel rush, with 171 million passengers expected to fly — up 4% from the same two-month period last year, according to Chris Sununu, CEO of Airlines for America.
“The fear is that, once again, they’re not going to act until something really desperate happens, until we get long lines,” Sununu said on Thursday.
The House approved a bill last week to fund the Department of Homeland Security through September in a 221 to 209 vote — but the measure failed in the Senate, where it received only 51 votes, short of the 60 required.
Officials said the disruptions were linked to the partial shutdown after Democrats refused to include the Department of Homeland Security in a recent spending bill, citing alleged mismanagement by recently ousted Secretary Kristi Noem.
For months, Noem had faced backlash, mainly from Democrats, over the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, especially after two anti-ICE protesters, Renée Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis.
President Trump ousted Kristi Noem as secretary last week and tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to take over the role effective March 31.
With Post wires
