At NYC Airports, Long TSA Lines and Frustrated Travelers

New York Times
by Tara Terranova and Ellen Yan
March 22, 2026
2 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

TSA staffing shortages are causing three-hour delays at NYC airports during peak travel season.

How This Affects You

If you're flying from NYC airports, you may face three-hour security delays and risk missing flights during busy travel periods.

AI Summary

TSA checkpoints at New York City airports, particularly LaGuardia, are experiencing delays exceeding three hours due to a shortage of checkpoint workers. The bottlenecks come as the agency faces staffing constraints during one of the busiest travel periods. Some travelers have expressed skepticism about a proposed solution involving ICE agents at security checkpoints, raising concerns about the appropriateness of immigration enforcement personnel handling airport screening duties. The delays are affecting thousands of passengers and underscoring the ongoing staffing challenges facing airport security operations nationwide.

What's Being Done

The TSA is considering deploying ICE agents at security checkpoints, though travelers have raised concerns about this approach.

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