TSA Precheck Suspension Underway?
By Leyah Jackson
Courtesy of TSA.gov
The future of TSA PreCheck is uncertain. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may suspend TSA PreCheck and prioritize standard security lanes at the airport amid the partial government shutdown.
TSA PreCheck allows passengers to “skip” the formal security checkpoint lines for quicker passage. It reduces wait times by keeping the lines moving.
“It makes travel days so much smoother and less stressful. Not having to worry about a long line and having to take shoes off and computers out makes traveling easier and more convenient,” said first-year kinesiology major Davione Alvis.
The DHS shutdown began Feb. 14th after Congress failed to come to an agreement on changes to the DHS and its Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), according to NPR.
Increased criticism for ICE arose after the shootings of two citizens by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis. Democrats have several key demands, including a ban on ICE wearing face masks and requiring judicial warrants before entering private property.
The shutdown affects more than just ICE. The DHS also oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and the U.S. Secret Service (USSS).
Personnel within TSA and the Coast Guard aren’t being paid, but are still required to work because their jobs are considered essential. Staffing shortages are expected, leading to long lines and possible flight cancellations at airports across the country.
Courtesy of HomelandSecurityToday.US
A spokesperson for the agency said TSA PreCheck will remain optional for now and will adjust on a case-by-case basis depending on staffing concerns in a statement on Sunday, according to NBC News. Despite this reassurance, Homeland Security has doubled down with claims that a PreCheck halt is possible.
“We prioritize security lanes as we can staff them. So the ones that use the most travelers, which are the standard lanes, will be prioritized because most of the traveling public goes through those lanes,” Secretary of Homeland Security Kristin Noem told CNN Wednesday.
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry were not passed during last year’s government shutdown, which lasted 43 days.
“Airports are going to be more crowded and chaotic than they already are–especially because spring break is such a major thing for many students,” Davione Alvis continued. “It's a break from school and work—an escape from reality. Unfortunately, I feel like this will only add stress instead of relaxing people.”
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry were not passed during last year’s government shutdown, which lasted 43 days.
“With [college] students who have tight schedules and minimal modes of transportation away from home, standing in a longer line due to a PreCheck halt could make them miss their flight and have no backup plan for hotel, food, and transportation expenses,” said Lyndi Harris, a first-year student in the five-year MBA program.
