For weeks now, frustrated travelers trying to catch flights all over the United States have been caught in hours-long security-check lines as overwhelmed Transportation Security Administration agents were forced to work without pay.

It’s not the first time that federal funding for TSA — a highly visible service that impacts millions of Americans daily — has been caught up in a political brawl in Congress, this time over immigration enforcement.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact, it never should have happened, not even once.

That’s because taxpayers and travelers already pay for transportation security, not through their taxes but through their plane tickets.

The federally mandated Passenger Security Fee, first levied after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to help fund TSA screening activities, has more than doubled since its inception.

Today, it adds an $11.20 charge to every round-trip ticket purchase — more than $4.5 billion in 2025 alone.

The fee is one of multiple government-mandated add-on charges, including a ticket excise tax, flight segment fees and passenger facility charges, that add taxes of 15% to 30% on every airline ticket you buy.

And while the lion’s share of Passenger Security Fee revenue was supposed to stay with TSA, Congress has chosen to divert much of it to feed an already fattened hyena.

Bipartisan Budget Acts passed in 2013 and 2018 funneled huge chunks of Passenger Security Fee proceeds away from TSA and into the Treasury’s general fund, where it can be spent in any way government officials want.

Congress deceptively portrayed that decision as a matter of “deficit reduction,” but we can see how well that’s worked.

If these resources had remained with TSA where they belonged, the agency could have built up an emergency fund to help tide these essential workers over during government shutdowns.

Or maybe the cash could have enabled technology investments to speed passengers through checkpoints all year round.

Airlines would be on solid moral, if not legal, ground to pull out of this charade and simply stop collecting the Passenger Security Fee.

They are not responsible for this mess: The blame belongs at the big, bloated feet of our federal government.

To do right by taxpayers, who are now literally paying $11.20 apiece to wait in line, Congress and President Donald Trump have four choices.

First, they can stop squandering Passenger Security Fee revenues on unrelated federal programs.

This means repealing the provisions from the 2013 and 2018 laws that allow these shenanigans, requiring the funds to be directly spent on TSA operations and investments and capping the fee so taxpaying travelers aren’t gouged for government services.

The only permissible diversion of any collections should be a small share for TSA’s Inspector General, which should oversee fee collections and ensure TSA uses the funding properly.

Another option is to turn over passenger security to airports and other private entities.

Private security contracts, overseen by government regulators, are commonplace in many countries — and are already used at some US airports.

TSA has frequently embarrassed itself with security lapses, poor equipment choices and the padded personnel budgets that often accompany slapdash federal agency expansions.

Alternatively, Congress could repeal the Passenger Security Fee entirely and fund the forward-facing portion of TSA’s responsibilities only through general revenues.

That would at least give taxpaying travelers a break on ticket prices.

One final option: Congress could fulfill its 2013 and 2018 claims.

Change the name to the “Special Deficit Reduction Fee” and require the revenue to go directly to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, to trim down the $39 trillion in borrowing our government has foisted on future generations of taxpayers.

It’s not particularly fair or logical to have air travelers help clean up Washington’s profligate spending habits — but at least it would be more honest than picking their pockets for something that doesn’t shorten airport security lines.

In fact, both the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget and bipartisan legislation in Congress called the SAFEGUARDS Act already propose to end the underhanded Passenger Security Fee diversion.

This is no longer about ICE enforcement, or immigration policy in general, or the separation of powers — it’s about our money.

Get to work, Washington.

Pete Sepp is president of National Taxpayers Union.

Flight chaos returned to California on Sunday as huge lines formed at TSA checkpoints amid a spiraling funding crisis.

Passengers were stuck in two-hour waits at San Diego International Airport as the 40-day Homeland Security shutdown wreaked havoc across the country.

It comes as the Golden State braced for a dramatic standoff over President Trump’s plans to deploy ICE agents to major terminals to fill gaps left by TSA agents.

In a statement to the Post, Gavin Newsom called for the immigration unit to be “reined in,” but would not comment on what he will do if officers are sent to California sites.

Meanwhile TSA agents were furious over the plans, branding it “the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard yet.”

Passengers reported misery at San Diego International from 6.30 a.m. on Sunday as lines streamed through check-in and delays showed across the boards.

Pictures showed hundreds of flyers at a standstill across the major hub with many seen frantically texting while they waited to be ushered forward.

U.S. Rep. Scott Peters claimed: “View from the San Diego airport at 6:30 this morning. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

“I have a bill to pay TSA workers, Coast Guard and emergency management without adding more to ICE and Border Patrol.”

“Easy, right? But Trump won’t allow it. As the DHS shutdown drags into nearly 40 days, federal workers and travelers shouldn’t have to suffer from Republican inaction.”

Another traveler, Suajit, posted a shocking video of the bedlam, writing: ”San Diego Airport is a mess right now, terminal two delays up to two hours and terminal one has just one TSA line with no pre-check.”

Ellissee Maio added: “Two-hour wait time at the San Diego airport this weekend. Wondering what it will be like on Monday with news of ICE filling in for TSA… bet it cuts in half.”

Flight Aware’s misery map also showed 174 delays out of San Diego Sunday, with four cancelations including on Delta, Alaska and SkyWest.

Airport spokesman Nicole Hall said: “Checkpoint wait times and flight scheduling are subject to the operations of our federal and airline partners.”

“These operations are, at times, affected by the federal government shutdown.”

She added: “We appreciate the ongoing commitment from TSA, FAA and our partner airlines to maintain the safety and reliability of the national transportation system during this challenging time.”

Other major hubs in California also faced problems on Sunday, with both San Francisco and LAX showing cancelations.

Thirty-seven were late out of Los Angeles as of Sunday night and 31 more were delayed out of San Francisco.

Despite the cancelations, TSA lines were so far smooth out of LAX, with passengers quickly sailing through the airport checkpoints.

One flyer, Christopher Hochstuhl, told the Post: “All I can say is… I don’t know… we’re the richest country in the world.”

“You need to pay your workers. There’s no excuse for this. I don’t think there’s anything else that needs to be said.”

Another, Michiko Romm, added: “I am here to board a flight back to Chicago. I’ve been LA for the past week. And LA has been really cool. Saw some cool things.”

“So here I am at the airport, and I was expecting to see a lot of long lines, but right at the moment, as I’m staring right at the TSA check lane, it actually looks very, very reasonable, so I am hopeful.”

LAX tends to suffer less TSA chaos due to better infrastructure inside the terminals, more investment and 30 automated screening lanes that speeds passengers through.

Data released on Sunday showed more than 3,250 TSA officers called out nationwide on Saturday — the worst absentee rate since the partial Homeland Security shutdown began and agents started going unpaid.

The mass exodus accounted for 11.51% of the scheduled workforce, leaving already-strained security lines even more vulnerable to meltdown.

The worst impacted airports across the country were Atlanta’s Hartfield-Jackson Airport, Houston, New York hubs and Philadelphia.

More mayhem is expected to impact Californian sites later in the week as Trump plans to deploy ICE agents to make up for the shortfall.

The president posted on Truth Social on Saturday: “On Monday, ICE will be going to airports to help our wonderful TSA Agents who have stayed on the job despite the fact that the Radical Left Democrats, who are only focused on protecting hard line criminals who have entered our Country illegally, are endangering the USA by holding back the money that was long ago agreed to with signed and sealed contracts, and all.”

The president did not reveal what airports he will target specifically, but, with the delays beginning at California hubs on Sunday, the state appeared to be bracing for their arrival.

White House border czar Tom Homan added: “I don’t see an ICE agent looking at an x-ray machine – because you’re not trained in that – [but] there are certain parts of security that TSA is doing that we can move them off those jobs and put them in the specialized jobs to help move those lines.”

Newsom reacted furiously to the news on Sunday, claiming to the Post that Trump was “deploying his personal police force.”

He said: “By sending ICE into airports, Trump is proving the problem in real time: ICE has become the president’s lawless, under-trained, personal police force, deployed to serve his agenda – not the law. That’s exactly why it needs to be reined in.”

When pressed by the Post what he will do if ICE agents are sent to Californian airports, the governor did not respond.

Despite the chaos on Sunday, San Diego TSA agents also chimed in with Newsom, with its head of operations branding the move “ridiculous.”

Robert Mack told NBC7: “Absolute shock because that’s just the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard yet out of this.”

He continued: “My duty is still the same, but at the end, if I can’t put food in my stomach, I can’t keep a roof over my head, the people I’m supposed to be taking care of are failing me.”

TSA lead transportation security office at the airport Aaron Vazquez added to the Times of San Diego: “I have no idea how they can contribute at an airport unless it was for intimidation purposes.”

He continued: “I don’t want them anywhere near the checkpoint and officers that I’m in charge of. I don’t want them interfering with what the officers are trying to do.”

“I don’t need an ICE agent telling passengers what to do. We are trained to be nice to passengers. They are law enforcement so they are armed. TSA is not.”

He added: “[ICE agents] can monitor traffic of the passengers to make sure they don’t get out of line or go through the stanchions.”

“I don’t understand what we need help with if it’s not people that are able to screen the passengers.”

Thousands of flyers suffered across the country over the weekend as flights were canceled and delayed and huge lines formed at dozens of TSA checkpoints.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned the worst may still be ahead.

He said: “I think you’re going to see more TSA agents, as we come to Thursday, Friday, Saturday of next week, they’re going to quit or they’re not going to show up.” He added: “So I do think it’s going to get much worse.”

San Francisco International Airport welcomed its first non-stop Emirates flight from the Middle East since the start of the Iran war.

Thursday marked long-awaited reunions as passengers from Dubai finally embraced their loved ones.

Several travelers told ABC7 Eyewitness News their work trips became ordeals, leaving them stranded as conflict erupted. They described tense days sheltering, hearing distant explosions, and uncertainty about when they could return home.

Heather Doherty of Alameda set out for India on business, but her plans changed when her connecting flight from Dubai was forced to return mid-air because of escalating violence.

“I couldn’t be more relieved to be home,” Doherty said.

“It was five days of uncertainty, but I’m thrilled to be back on American soil,” she told the outlet.

“I spent the first night huddled on the floor next to my bed, worried about the windows exploding — so you hear alerts going off, you hear explosions in the sky,” she added.

Susan Daley from Chicago was also in the Middle East for work and described her experience to ABC. “We had a lovely lunch, then the bombing started, so we went back to the hotel, and at that point, we were sheltering in place, locked down, doing whatever they told us to do.”

For Dubai residents Jeyaram and Jayant Deshpande, the idea of returning to the Middle East brought no hesitation.

“The civilians are so safe,” said Venkatesh Jeyaram of Dubai. “We are very well taken care of. I’m absolutely not worried about going back to Dubai.”

The joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign, Operation Epic Fury, has escalated into a full-scale conflict to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and achieve regime change.

As of March 5, 2026, the strikes have reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and devastated the Iranian Navy, while Tehran has retaliated with massive missile and drone barrages against U.S. bases and allies across the Persian Gulf.

• Are you a Canadian in Puerto Vallarta right now? Reach out to us at shareyourstory@globalnews.ca with information on what you are experiencing and how we can get in touch with you.

Canadian travellers impacted by violent conflicts in Mexico may be able to get a refund or modify their upcoming bookings as airlines begin to offer more flexibility.

Escalating tensions in and around Puerto Vallarta in the western Mexico state of Jalisco prompted a shelter in place order in the city over the weekend, leaving many travellers, including Canadians, locked in their hotel rooms.

Canada’s major air carriers say they are aware of the evolving situation and are notifying affected customers, some of whom described the city as a “war zone” on Sunday.

“People are mostly calm and just staying tight and sort of maybe a bit quieter than usual and trying to figure out what’s really going on,” said Jeff Willis, a Manitoba resident who is currently in Puerto Vallarta.

“But behind our unit, you can see multiple, multiple areas of smoke and it looks like a war zone.”

According to the Mexican embassy in the U.S., the military operation on Sunday was conducted to achieve the arrest of Ruben “N,” also known as Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes or “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

There are more than 26,000 Canadians on the ground in Mexico. The volatility comes as some universities are on reading weeks and as the spring travel season approaches, which typically sees an uptick in people flocking south.

If you are in Puerto Vallarta or a region experiencing unrest, Global Affairs Canada is urging Canadians to register with the government and to be in touch through SOS@international.gc.ca or +1 613 996 8885 for those currently outside of the country.

Air Canada and other carriers have cancelled flights into and out of Puerto Vallarta (PVR) airport scheduled for Feb. 23, with travel advisories expanding to surrounding regions in Mexico. Flights were also cancelled on Sunday.

“We are monitoring the situation closely, and are in contact with local Mexican authorities as well as Transport Canada,” said Air Canada in a statement on Sunday.

“Customers are advised not to attempt to go to the airport unless their flight which they have a confirmed booking for is shown as operating on aircanada.com. We will contact customers with new flight information as soon as the situation allows it.”

WestJet, which includes applicable Sunwing Airlines flights, Air Transat and Porter Airlines, have all issued similar statements as of Monday.

Here’s what travellers need to know.

4:38
Vancouver resident stuck in Puerto Vallarta

Travellers who have had their flights cancelled by an airline are almost always expected to receive a refund or alternative flight arrangements free of charge.

The Canadian Transportation Agency, or CTA, states that an airline has minimum obligations when a flight is delayed or cancelled, regardless of the reasons.

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“When a flight is delayed or cancelled (including before the day of travel), an airline has minimum obligations to passengers that could include certain kinds of assistance (standards of treatment), rebooking or refunds, and up to $1,000 in compensation for inconvenience,” the CTA says on its website.

“Their obligations depend on whether the disruption is within the control of the airline, within the airline’s control but required for safety, or outside the airline’s control.”

The CTA adds that the airline must also offer customers accommodation if they are stranded overnight as the result of cancelled or delayed flights.

In these situations, accommodations must be free of charge to the passenger, be “reasonable” in relation to their location and the airline must provide transportation to and from those accommodations.

The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) issued a travel advisory to all Canadian travelers either in Mexico or heading to the country.

“Adhere to all government safety directives and contact travel suppliers to determine the soonest available options for alternative arrangements to return home once it’s safe to do so,” THIA said in a statement to Global News.

“Some travel insurance plans may provide benefits for delayed return due to covered reasons, so retain receipts for unexpected costs and contact your provider for coverage guidance.”

THIA also alerted travelers either heading to Mexico or had a flight turned around that “most airlines and travel providers are providing alternative arrangements for impacted travelers. Flight interruption benefits may also provide protection under some travel insurance policies.”

Canadians with pre-booked trips in the coming days or weeks are advised to “continue monitoring Government of Canada travel advisories for the destination in Mexico where your trip is scheduled. Travel insurance plans may provide coverage for trip cancellation if a level 3 (yellow) or 4 (red) advisory against travel is issued.”

If travellers are already at their destination, like affected regions of Mexico, those customers may have already been contacted by their air carrier about their upcoming flights back home.

Late Sunday, Air Canada said that six flights had been cancelled and roughly 500 customers had been impacted.

“Due to the security situation in Puerto Vallarta,  Air Canada has temporarily suspended operations there today [Sunday],” said Air Canada in a written statement.

“We have cancelled three flights to and three flights from PVR to and from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, representing just under 500 customers in total each way.”

3:38
More than 26,000 Canadians in Mexico have registered with Global Affairs Canada: Anand

Depending on the airline and type of booking, some customers may be able to modify or cancel their travel plans if they don’t want to wait to see how the situation in Mexico evolves.

Air travel bookings may include flexibility options for changes or cancellations, which often come at a higher price premium, while most basic fare options mean customers have to pay a penalty to make any changes or request a refund.

But some airlines are making exceptions to these policies, given the circumstances, by waiving change fees and penalties to offer more flexibility for customers — even for the most basic fares.

Although all flights scheduled for Feb. 23 into and out of Puerto Vallarta have been cancelled by major Canadian airlines, all have confirmed through statements that there are some flexible change options for flights scheduled through Feb. 25.

In most cases, this means customers with flights scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday into and out of Puerto Vallarta and some other Mexican destinations will be able to modify their bookings without having to pay a penalty.

“A flexible policy is in place until the 25th, meaning customers can change their ticket without incurring change fees (a price difference may apply), regardless of the fare they purchased. They can do that on the website or the app,” said Air Canada in a statement sent to Global News Monday.

Similar flexibility options are being offered through Westjet, along with Sunwing Airlines, Air Transat and Porter Airlines, according to separate statements sent to Global News on Monday.

“WestJet’s flexible/change policy has been put into effect for guests travelling to PVR, GDL and ZLO over the next two days. For guests currently in destination, WestJet and Sunwing are arranging extended stays so guests can comply with local official guidelines,” said WestJet in a written statement.

“Exceptional flexibility conditions are offered to travellers with a scheduled flight to Puerto Vallarta on Feb. 24 or 25. They may change their booking without penalty, or cancel their trip and receive a travel credit valid for 12 months from the original return date,” said Air Transat in a written statement.

“Puerto Vallarta operations are currently suspended due to airport restrictions. Two round-trip flights from Ottawa and Toronto were cancelled today. Passengers are currently being offered complimentary flight changes through Feb. 25,” said Porter Airlines in a written statement.

Sunwing also shared a statement, citing WestJet’s flight cancellations.

Sunwing is owned by WestJet.

“Change fees will be waived or you may request a refund to your original form of payment. Customers with imminent travel plans are encouraged to check the status of their flight prior to heading to the airport. Please contact our Sales Centre or Group Sales team … for flexible booking options if you are scheduled to travel to Puerto Vallarta between February 22 and 25,” said Sunwing Airlines in a statement.

Are you a Canadian in Puerto Vallarta right now? Reach out to us at shareyourstory@globalnews.ca or using the contact form below to share your experience and how we can get in touch with you.