A senior official with the Transportation Security Administration cautioned on Thursday that the growing congestion at airport security lines across the country is expected to intensify, as the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown continues to strain staffing levels.

Speaking with NewsNation’s Blake Burman, Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl said smaller airports in particular may soon face temporary shutdowns of security operations due to increasing employee absences.

“As this goes on without any sort of resolution from Congress, particularly from Senate Democrats, our folks will continue to call out,” Stahl said during an appearance on “The Hill.”

He explained that limited staffing at smaller airports leaves little margin for disruption, raising the likelihood of partial closures.

“And so again, small airports may be particularly impacted because they have fewer lanes and they have fewer people, and so, if a certain three or four out of 10 employees call out, we may, to ensure we’re not degrading security, we may have to temporarily suspend operations at those airports,” he continued.

Stahl declined to specify how widespread such disruptions could become, noting that conditions differ from one airport to another.

“It will vary very much airport to airport,” he said. “Callout rates are one of many factors that help to inform our security footprint at every single airport, but again I can tell you, this is going to get worse before it gets better, particularly if we don’t have a resolution within the coming days and weeks.”

Travelers nationwide are already encountering extended wait times at checkpoints, as a growing number of TSA agents either call out or leave their positions amid the prolonged shutdown.

Since the shutdown began in mid-February, more than 360 TSA employees have resigned, according to DHS figures. Absentee rates have also surged, surpassing 50 percent in Houston and reaching 30 percent in both New Orleans and Atlanta earlier this week.

The staffing crunch has already forced the closure of several security checkpoints, including at major hubs such as Philadelphia International Airport.

Stahl urged passengers to plan accordingly, advising them to “show up early” and stay informed through updates from their airlines and local airports.

The DHS shutdown has now entered its fifth week, with no apparent breakthrough between Democrats and Republicans on restoring funding to the agency.

{Matzav.com}