Chaos at U.S. airports: long lines as security employees still haven't been paid

Long lines, delays, and increasing uncertainty characterized the day at several airports in the United States, where the impact of the partial government shutdown is starting to be felt more acutely in security checks.

According to the AP, thousands of Transportation Security Administration employees continue to work without pay, resulting in increased absenteeism and operational difficulties at various locations across the country.

At airports like Dallas Fort Worth and Atlanta, some passengers reported waits of up to four hours to get through security, forcing many travelers to arrive unusually early to avoid missing their flights.

The situation has even led to the temporary closure of some checkpoints due to a lack of personnel, causing fluctuations in wait times and increasing pressure on the workers who remain in their positions.

Nationwide, around 10% of TSA agents did not report to work recently, a figure that has been even higher at some airports, reflecting the economic impact of working without pay for weeks.

Despite this, most employees continue to perform their duties, deemed essential for maintaining the safety of the air system, amidst growing financial difficulties.

The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security has left about 50,000 workers in this situation, while the political debate in Washington continues without a clear solution.

At the same time, concern is growing among travelers and authorities about the deterioration of service in one of the country's most sensitive sectors, just as negotiations continue to fully reopen federal funding.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, warned that he may order the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at airports if the Senate fails to approve a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, amid a partial shutdown that is already affecting the airport system.

The warning comes after several days of unsuccessful negotiations in Congress, where the disagreement between Republicans and Democrats has stalled progress on a funding bill, leaving thousands of federal workers without pay.