What we know and don't know about TSA wait times at O'Hare and Midway airports
Airfind news item
By Kade Heather
Published on March 24, 2026.
The partial government shutdown has left airports understaffed, causing unpredictable wait times. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which operates under DHS, has gone unpaid for weeks and at least 450 TSA workers have quit altogether since the shutdown began on Feb. 14. Nearly 11% of TSA workers, more than 3,200 in total, missed work on Monday. The wait times at O’Hare and Midway airports have been relatively short, with many travelers reporting less than half-hour waits. The MyTSA app, which shows live wait times, is not being managed during the shutdown. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deployed agents to airports across the country to assist the short-staffed airport security personnel. It is unclear if updated guidance was provided to ICE agents.
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