Last night, the Trump administration announced it is pausing TSA PreCheck and Global Entry in response to the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that “TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.” If you’ve ever read any of my newsletters or travel tips, then you know that both of these expedited programs are the best things to happen to frequent travelers since in-flight Wi-Fi.
During last year’s government shutdown (and previous ones), these programs were not suspended. This is an unprecedented political move that will most likely backfire as it will result in longer lines and more frustration.
As my colleague Gary Leff wrote on his blog, “This shift means more screening staff time will be spent on each passenger, making screening checkpoints less efficient and less effective. It’s doing the opposite of what’s claimed, because this is shutdown politics not a necessary step in the face of limited staffing.” I agree … and so do many members of Congress.
Rep. Bennie Thompson from Mississippi, ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, roasted the Trump administration for “idiotically” shutting down the programs “to punish the American people.” He went on to say, “Trump and Kristi are making your lives harder — and your travel less safe — all on purpose because they know you don’t trust them. They pulled these games with FEMA disaster response last week, now this madness. They would rather force Americans to miss their travel waiting in long lines at the airport than stop Trump’s secret police from shooting our neighbors.”
U.S. Travel, a nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s travel industry, also issued a statement saying: “Travelers should be prioritized, not leveraged. Travel is the gateway to the American economy and Americans should not have their mobility, security or travel experience diminished because elected leaders fail to resolve their differences.”
What travelers are saying on social media:
Lisa L.: “Shutting down the more efficient, less labor intensive line and putting everyone in the more labor-intensive line is about inflicting pain on the traveling public. Makes Noem sense.”
Amanda H.: “They want regular people angrier about this than about ICE funding to get enough public pressure on reps to get a funding bill passed.”
Louise O.: “The chaos is the point.”
Dana K.: “I’ll take my fee back then!”
Speaking of fees … My advice to beat the long security lines, other than showing up to the airport super early, is to sign up for the private expedited service CLEAR. You can even do it at the airport (again, you’ll have to show up early) but it’s best to enroll in advance from home.
KEEP READING
–How to Save Money With a Secret Third Carry-On
–How to Use Your Wireless Headphones to Watch In-Flight Movies
–10 Airport Security Hacks Every Traveler Should Know
–How to Get the Best Coach Seat on the Plane
–The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know
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