What Secretary Duffy Said
On Fox News Sunday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spelled it out plainly. With the Department of Homeland Security partly shut down for about 30 days, many TSA workers missed pay and some left their jobs. Duffy said this is not a question of safety at checkpoints but a question of time spent in line. He urged lawmakers to reopen DHS so operations can return to normal while talks continue.
Why TSA Workers Are Leaving
Duffy explained that TSA agents do not earn large salaries and a missed paycheck forces hard choices. Some agents have quit and others are calling out more often. The secretary noted roughly 300 agents have resigned and call out rates have doubled. People are choosing other work like driving for rideshare services or restaurant jobs because families need food on the table.
Travelers Face Long Lines
The practical result is long wait times at airports. Duffy said travelers are seeing lines that can last one to four hours. That does not mean airports are unsafe, he emphasized, but it does mean people may rethink flying if they face multi hour waits. That hurts airlines, airports and travelers who have real plans and schedules.
Democrats’ Motive, According To Duffy
Secretary Duffy directly blamed Democratic leaders for choosing to keep DHS closed as a political tactic. He argued their goal was to force ICE officers to remove face coverings so those agents could be identified, exposed and harassed. Duffy warned this kind of pressure risks doxxing officers and putting families in the crosshairs instead of focusing on border enforcement and public safety.
What This Means For Flights
Beyond the immediate delays there are longer term worries about rebuilding the workforce. Duffy asked whether the agents who left will come back and what the recruitment picture will look like. Aviation depends on coordination between DHS, the FAA and the Department of Transportation, so prolonged disruption could reduce capacity and make flying less reliable for months if not fixed quickly.
Today, exclusively on @SundayFutures with @MariaBartiromo, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy @SecDuffy @SeanDuffyWI spoke about the impact to airport security due to the continuing partial shutdown of Homeland Security. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/RnQ444w5sz
— SundayMorningFutures (@SundayFutures) March 15, 2026
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Remember to thank your local DEMOCRAT representative for your 3 hour wait. I fear that those waiting in line for hours will go back home and vote Democrat again. Some people never learn. The Democrats new negotiating tactic is do it our way or we will take the football and go home. Not a Diplomat in the bunch. Children on the playground, just a bit older. No care for what their constituents want, its what the party wants – and the party is now anti-American Marxist oriented. What happened to the Democrat party? Taken over by self serving thieving Socialists. To Hell with the US is their new rallying cry.