this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2026
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Long security lines snaked into baggage claim areas and parking garages at some U.S. airports this weekend, a possible indicator of more widespread travel problems as the latest government shutdown drags on.

That kind of disruption, while not yet widespread, is not a concern that typically surfaces at San Francisco International Airport, the largest of nearly two dozen U.S. airports where screening checkpoints are staffed by private contractors under a little-used federal program that allows airports to outsource security screenings while maintaining TSA oversight.

Because contractors’ pay comes from a federal contract, it often continues even when the government shuts down.

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[–] My_IFAKs___gone@lemmy.world 1 points 18 minutes ago

Bring on the delays and public outrage. It's just about the only thing that'll force congress to do its job. It's not like the other unfunded LE agencies will stop doing their thing or the Coast Guard will close down ports or stop rescuing people, despite also being kneecapped by the shutdown.

[–] BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 55 minutes ago (1 children)

The TSA is security theater, its effectiveness has been documented as notoriously useless with not finding any legitimate threats. Just confiscating things from people that look like weapons.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 1 points 30 minutes ago

I have to take certain tools with me on my business trips, and I've learned to take a cheap Home Depot pliers because they occasionally get confiscated for being 1/4" too long. I started buying these cheap $3 pliers after my $25 pair got confiscated.

How am I supposed to hijack a plane with a pair of pliers? Why is a 7" pair unable to hijack a plane, but a 7 1/4" pair can?

[–] sylver_dragon@lemmy.world 10 points 2 hours ago

Ah yes, let's use contractors. Anyone else remember when USIS was just faking background checks? I've been a Federal contractor, and while there are some great, hard working people doing government work as contractors, the companies behind those contractors are almost universally doing everything they can to skirt the line between "completing the contract" and "outright fraud". They certainly have no interest in doing what is best for the organization, people or tax payers. It's all money grubbing assholes looking to leech off the tax payer.

We need to realize that 90% of everything done in the wake of 9/11 were bad ideas. With DHS itself being a monumental fuck-up. We did need better inter-department communications. But, by creating one agency to rule them all, we put too much budget in one bucket and failed to let specialists in each area focus on their area of specialization.

[–] in_my_honest_opinion@piefed.social 34 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

Been security theater since inception.

Hey I know! Lets clump all of the civilian targets in a big group and make sure we pack them tight BEFORE we check for bombs. Bombs that get through anyways.

https://duckduckgo.com/?ia=web&origin=funnel_home_website&t=h_&q=TSA+fails+security+audit+guns+bombs+probe

[–] Akasazh@lemmy.world 1 points 4 minutes ago

I'm loathe to praise the Israelis, but their approach to airport security is quite good, with a mind on minimal bunching up of crowds, not to create a clear target for terrorists.

It is very racist, though, any elevated melanin levels in the skin will make you subject to getting picked out and searched. But that happens with the TSA too.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 hours ago

Remember, no Russian.

[–] FudgyMcTubbs@lemmy.world 22 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

The headline is possibly misleading. This story seems to largely discuss potential privatization of the security services that TSA provides, not eliminating the security theater that TSA is.

[–] MagicShel@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 hours ago

Yes because the thing that will fix TSA is a monopoly extracting profit from it.

[–] veniasilente@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

I'm all up for the elimination of TSA agents. The old fashioned French way, even, to make it more efficient and to send a clear message.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 2 hours ago

Yes. My immediate thoughts were, in order, 1. great! 2. They will probably apply at ICE.