Airport chaos is spreading across the U.S. as TSA workers miss their second paycheck during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Passengers across the country are already reporting wait times of up to four hours at security checkpoints as staffing shortages and heavy travel demand collide.
The situation is expected to get worse as the Spring Break travel rush begins.
One of the most dramatic scenes unfolded Friday morning at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, where massive security lines stretched outside the terminal.
Travelers began lining up as early as 4:30 a.m., only about an hour and a half after TSA opened its checkpoints for the first passengers of the day.
People waited outside in 47-degree temperatures under the moonlight while trying to make it through security.
Video from the scene showed long lines snaking outside the terminal as travelers bundled up and waited to move through screening.
By around 7:30 a.m., the line had finally moved inside the building, but security checkpoints remained packed and slow.
Airport officials expect more than 35,000 passengers to pass through the Austin airport on Friday alone.
Because of the delays, travelers are now being urged to arrive much earlier than usual.
Passengers flying domestically are being told to arrive at least 2.5 hours before departure, while international travelers are advised to show up three hours early.
Normally, domestic passengers are told to arrive two hours before their flight.
The disruptions are tied directly to the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security.
Roughly 50,000 TSA employees have now missed their second paycheck because funding for parts of the agency remains stalled in Congress.
Reports indicate the financial strain is beginning to affect staffing levels, per the Daily Mail.
Some TSA workers have called out of work, while others have reportedly quit amid the ongoing shutdown.
That is putting even more pressure on the system as passenger traffic increases.
Lawmakers remain locked in a standoff over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
Democrats have said they want operational changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection before agreeing to a broader funding deal.
Republicans have rejected those demands and insist they will not support any measure that weakens immigration enforcement.
Senator Brian Schatz said negotiations are continuing but admitted lawmakers are still far apart on a deal.
The shutdown is also happening as tensions remain high after protests against ICE in Minneapolis turned deadly.
Two individuals, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed during those demonstrations, adding new pressure to the debate surrounding immigration enforcement.
The political fallout has already led to leadership changes within the department.
President Donald Trump recently replaced Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin, who is expected to officially take over the role later this month.
Meanwhile, travelers across the country are dealing with the immediate impact.
Long security lines have also been reported at airports in Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Houston.
The Department of Homeland Security has blamed Democrats for the shutdown, saying the funding standoff has caused “hours-long security lines at airports across the country.”
TSA also released a public message asking travelers to remain patient with workers who are continuing to show up for duty despite missing paychecks.
Officials warned that delays could grow even longer as Spring Break travelers continue flooding airports in the coming days.
