Washington DC: The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is suspending the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programmes as a partial government shutdown continues, a move expected to cause disruptions for travellers.
The two programmes are designed to speed registered passengers through airport security and customs lines. TSA PreCheck allows approved travellers to use expedited screening lanes at US airports, reducing wait times, while Global Entry provides faster customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk international travellers entering the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are prioritising the general travelling public at airports and ports of entry and suspending ‘courtesy and special privilege escorts.’
Several US airlines criticised DHS for giving travellers limited notice of the temporary halt. Airlines for America expressed concern that passengers were once again being caught in political disputes during a shutdown.
Its Chief Executive, Chris Sununu, said that the announcement came at extremely short notice, leaving travellers little time to adjust their plans, and urged Congress to reach a funding agreement. Sununu noted that a similar shutdown last year resulted in $6.1bn in losses across the travel industry and related sectors.
Government shutdown
The partial government shutdown began on February 14 after Democrats and the White House failed to agree on legislation to fund DHS. Democrats have been seeking changes to immigration operations that are central to President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign.
Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security also criticised the airport security decision on social media, accusing the administration of ‘kneecapping the programs that make travel smoother and secure’ and of ‘ruining your travel on purpose.’
In a related development, the Trump administration ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which operates under DHS, to suspend the deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster-affected areas due to the ongoing shutdown.
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