Why It Matters
Pennsylvania’s major airports are experiencing unprecedented security delays as a partial federal government shutdown drives Transportation Security Administration agents to call out at record rates. The disruption threatens the state’s transportation infrastructure and travel economy, affecting thousands of passengers daily while federal authorities scramble to maintain airport security operations without adequate staffing or pay.
Pennsylvania Airports Face Extended Wait Times as TSA Staffing Crisis Deepens
The partial government shutdown that began February 14 has created a transportation crisis at Pennsylvania airports, with security checkpoints experiencing significant delays and reduced operational capacity. Pittsburgh International Airport reported a 24.7% TSA call-out rate on Monday, while Philadelphia International saw 24.2% of its scheduled security workforce absent—among the highest rates nationwide.
Travelers at both airports faced extended security lines as the funding lapse left Transportation Security Administration officers working without pay. The situation prompted the Trump administration to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to assist with security screening, marking an unprecedented use of immigration enforcement personnel in airport operations.
What Happened
On Monday, March 23, 2026, nearly 3,500 TSA agents—approximately 11.8% of the nationwide scheduled workforce—called out from their positions across the United States. This marked the highest absence rate since the shutdown began over a month prior, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Pennsylvania’s two largest commercial airports reflected the national trend. Pittsburgh International recorded a 24.7% absence rate among TSA personnel, while Philadelphia International experienced 24.2% of its security screening workforce absent. Both figures exceeded the national average and contributed to significant congestion at security checkpoints.
In response to the widespread staffing shortages, the Trump administration authorized Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to deploy to airports experiencing severe disruptions. The federal government expected ICE personnel to supplement TSA operations at multiple hubs, including Pittsburgh International.
DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis confirmed the deployment strategy in a statement, noting that ICE officers—who remain funded by Congress—would be reassigned to assist with security screening. The move represented an effort to maintain airport operations without additional congressional funding.
By The Numbers
3,500 TSA agents called out nationwide on Monday, representing 11.8% of the scheduled workforce across the country.
24.7% absence rate at Pittsburgh International Airport—among the highest in the nation and significantly above the national average.
24.2% absence rate at Philadelphia International Airport, reflecting similar staffing pressures across Pennsylvania’s major transportation hubs.
400+ TSA officers have permanently quit since the shutdown began February 14, creating permanent staffing losses beyond daily call-outs.
Four hours of estimated wait times reported at major airports including Atlanta and Houston, with 30-minute-plus waits at several other hubs.
The Funding Dispute Behind the Crisis
The shutdown originated from a congressional impasse over immigration enforcement funding rather than transportation security policy. The dispute forced the Department of Homeland Security—which oversees TSA—into a funding lapse beginning February 14.
TSA officers have worked without compensation for over five weeks, creating severe economic hardship. According to DHS, officers “are not able to afford gas, childcare, food, or rent,” driving both temporary call-outs and permanent resignations from the workforce.
The Trump administration blamed Democratic members of Congress for refusing to allocate funding for border security measures, while critics pointed to the Republican-led proposal’s linkage of essential airport security staffing to unrelated immigration enforcement spending as the source of the impasse.
Zoom Out
Pennsylvania’s airport disruptions reflect a nationwide crisis affecting major transportation hubs across the country. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International experienced the most severe staffing shortage at 41.5%, while Houston reported 39.1% of its TSA workforce absent.
The deployment of ICE officers to airports represents an unusual federal response to the crisis, utilizing immigration enforcement personnel for general airport security screening—a function traditionally handled exclusively by TSA.
Similar prolonged shutdowns have disrupted federal operations in prior years, but the integration of immigration enforcement into airport security operations marks a significant departure from established protocols at major U.S. transportation hubs.
What’s Next
Congressional negotiations over funding remain ongoing, with no immediate resolution expected. Pennsylvania airports will continue operating with reduced TSA staffing and ICE supplementation until legislative action restores full federal funding.
The Trump administration plans to expand ICE deployments to additional airports experiencing critical staffing shortages. Passengers should anticipate extended security wait times at Pennsylvania airports through the duration of the funding lapse.
Additional TSA resignations may occur if the shutdown extends beyond several more weeks, further straining airport security operations across the state and nationwide.