U.S. airports are finally seeing some relief following weeks of hours-long security lineups, as the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) said most officers received back pay Monday for work during the shutdown.
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Lineups haven’t returned to normal, officials say, and they don’t know when they will as spring break in the U.S. continues. New York’s LaGuardia Airport, for example, still saw wait times exceed two hours on Monday. Baltimore-Washington International Airport continued to advise travelers to arrive at least three hours before their flight.
U.S. President Donald Trump told the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to push through the paycheques and ease the lineups. The move comes while budget talks continue with Democrats, who are pushing for restrictions on immigration enforcement and mass deportation.
Democrats also want better officer identification, judicial warrants and for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to stop raids near schools, churches and other places. Republicans and Trump have been negotiating, but no final agreement has been reached.
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ICE at airports
The situation is unlikely to change anytime soon, with the Senate holding a brief session before going back to its two-week break. Republican Sen. John Hoeven said both parties are talking and the Senate is talking with the House to find a way to fund DHS.
The White House sent ICE agents to some major airports last week to help security as TSA agents quit during the shutdown, and they’re not going anywhere just yet. White House border czar Tom Homan said it depends on how fast TSA agents return to the job.
Tough times for TSA employees
TSA agents had been going without pay since February, when funding for the DHS dried up due to the government shutdown. As of Monday, the government’s partial shutdown stands at 45 days and counting, beating the 43-day record last year that affected all of the federal government.