As the weather warms up and thousands across the country greet spring break’s arrival, those who want to travel have faced obstacles in their path. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) shortages as a result of the partial Homeland Security shutdown have plagued the country in recent weeks, with lines an hour or more across numerous airports, and passengers are now advised to arrive 4-5 hours before their flights. The shutdown isn’t only a problem for frequent flyers either. It’s indicative of the larger political tensions of today, as both Republicans and Democrats have placed blame on the other side. 

A standoff over federal immigration reform is the root of the issue, where a stalemate between parties meant failure to appropriate a budget for the Department of Homeland Security. Because of the lack of funding, thousands of Homeland Security workers are going without pay, leading to the TSA shortage. This not only presents a travel burden, but a security concern; with some lanes closed due to the scarcity, there’s more pressure on existing personnels.

“The TSA shutdown seems fitting because of the Iran affairs. However, they should’ve done more to speed up travel that was supposed to happen,” Pavan Kristipati, whose flight home was affected by the shutdown, said.

With thousands of flights fully canceled, the public is in an uproar over the issue, and it shows no sign of stopping soon. Countless citizens have been forced to reside in travel spots for longer than planned, and some can’t even take off.

“[the shutdown] resulted in us finding a sooner flight and travel got shorter. My dad couldn’t spend as much time with his parents. Also, he had to go via Africa to reach home safely,” Arush Krisp, sophomore, said. 

However, governmental action is currently on the way. Congress has proposed a bill called the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act (H.R. 2086), which, if passed, would guarantee TSA workers union representation and employment rights. This would help to get TSA up and running even while Homeland Security is inoperable, meaning more workers and overall more security.

“It’s going to be a good effective temporary measure…but this is probably going to be a more long term systemic issue where we keep seeing shutdowns,” Brandon Lloyd, sophomore, said. 

For more updates on flight times and potential delays, make sure to check your local airport, and try to plan ahead for any potential changes.