A funding standoff in Washington is causing widespread disruption at major airports, with passengers in New York facing wait times of up to three hours just to check in, as understaffed TSA checkpoints struggle to keep up with heavy travel volume, the NY Post reports.

At LaGuardia Airport’s crowded Terminal B, delays quickly tested travelers’ patience. Chip B, a 66-year-old from Texas, described the situation after waiting 45 minutes even in the pre-check line. “It’s insane,” stranded Texas traveler Chip B, 66, said Sunday after spending 45 minutes on the pre-check line at LaGuardia Airport’s packed Terminal B. “If this is about getting short-handed with TSA agents, c’mon, let’s get them hired.”

Other passengers voiced even sharper frustration, directing their anger at lawmakers in Washington. Chris, a 54-year-old Connecticut resident, didn’t hold back as he waited to board a flight to Florida. “Get their [stuff] together,” he snapped. That’s what they need to do.

He also criticized the conditions facing TSA workers, pointing to the lack of pay during the standoff. “My big thing is TSA work isn’t a great job in the first place,” he said while trying to board a flight to Fort Lauderdale.

The disruptions are not limited to New York. Airports across the country are dealing with similar slowdowns, as the dispute in Washington has left TSA officers working without pay. As a result, some agents have stopped reporting to work or resigned altogether, even as spring break travel increases pressure on already strained operations.

Those who have continued working missed their first paycheck last week, further worsening staffing shortages at security checkpoints nationwide.

At the center of the impasse is a political battle between Republicans and Democrats. The disagreement revolves around funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA, with Democrats seeking additional oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of the deal. Each side has accused the other of prolonging the crisis, while travelers bear the consequences in overcrowded terminals.

For many passengers, the situation is unlike anything they’ve experienced. Jared Everett, visiting New York with his wife, said the delays had already impacted his travel plans, pushing back his afternoon flight. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jared Everett, in New York on vacation with his wife, said the mess has already delayed his 4:30 p.m. flight to Charlotte by 40 minutes.

He added that the situation reflects poorly on lawmakers. “This has been pretty irresponsible of our lawmakers to put us in this position,” said Everett, 53. “We deserve better. They’re not the most functional group of people we’ve seen.”

In response, President Trump announced that ICE agents will be deployed to assist at major airports starting Monday in an effort to reduce delays. Some travelers said they are open to any measure that could ease congestion, though they emphasized that the underlying issue remains unresolved.

“Whatever helps facilitate the movement of people,” Chris said. “It’s not their their job. I’d rather have our government get their act together.”