(Source: ABC News) — The partial government shutdown stretched into its 36th day on Saturday, with Transportation Security Administration officers reporting mounting financial strain as spring break travel surged and security lines at major airports swelled to hours-long waits.
With TSA workers having missed their last paycheck nearly a month ago, callout rates have more than doubled since the shutdown began, according to agency figures. The absences contributed to significant backups at airports across the country, including in Houston, Atlanta, New York, and Dallas.
In Houston, social media video showed security lines snaking through terminals with estimated wait times topping three hours on Friday. Travelers described chaotic scenes.
“We were kind of shocked because we literally had to go like down all the way down some escalators and come right back up,” one passenger said.
At New York’s LaGuardia Airport, the security line extended outside into the parking lot. Similar congestion was reported at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
For TSA officers working without pay, the toll has become increasingly personal.
“It was a choice between putting gas in my car and paying my light bill,” one worker said. “But for some people, there are choices between feeding their children and putting gas in the car.”
The shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, stems from a dispute over border security funding. On Friday, the Senate failed for a fifth time to advance a bill that would reopen the government. Democrats have demanded reforms to immigration enforcement, including requiring agents to wear body cameras and restricting the use of masks.
Travelers at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport expressed sympathy for the workers caught in the political standoff.
“Knowing that you’re doing your best and not even getting paid to still have a smile on your face, like that can only go on for so long,” one traveler said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the situation could deteriorate sharply if officers miss another paycheck next week. He described current delays as “child’s play” compared to what could lie ahead if the shutdown continues.