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TSA lines surge at airports as government shutdown leaves officers unpaid

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TSA lines surge at airports as government shutdown leaves officers unpaid

Airport security delays amid the partial government shutdown have created weekend travel nightmares, with massive TSA lines choking terminals across the country, unpaid officers calling out in growing numbers, and President Donald Trump vowing to send U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports to try to stem the tide of American angst.

“This is insane,” a frustrated passenger told CNN at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International, regarded as the busiest airport in the world. “We didn’t think it was going to be this bad.”

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“It’s pandemonium out there,” another added in videos posted to social media this weekend.

“We shouldn’t have to deal with this just to get on an airplane,” an X poster raged — a complaint that now captures the mood at airports nationwide as travelers absorb the fallout from Washington’s funding fight.

TSA OFFICIAL WARNS SMALLER AIRPORTS COULD SHUT DOWN AMID DHS FUNDING CRISIS

passenagers line up in long TSA lines at atlanta's airport

The famously busiest airport in the world in Atlanta was dogged by long TSA security lines due to the government shutdown and staffing shortages. (Megan Varner/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The chaos is being fueled by deepening TSA staffing shortages during one of the busiest travel stretches of the season due to spring breaks for schools and colleges. Officers are working without pay under the shutdown, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned absenteeism, resignations and delays are likely to worsen if the stalemate drags on.

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More than 400 TSA workers have already quit since the shutdown began Feb. 14, according to DHS.

The immediate concern for travelers, though, is far more fundamental: getting through the checkpoint before their flight leaves.

DHS SHUTDOWN FORCES AIRPORTS TO TELL TRAVELERS TO ARRIVE 4 HOURS EARLY AMID MASSIVE DELAYS

Among the most eye-popping wait times and airport line scenes reported this weekend:

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Atlanta (ATL): Reported wait of 153 minutes early Sunday, with lines described as wrapping around baggage claim. 

New Orleans (MSY): Security line reportedly stretched into the parking garage

Houston (IAH/HOU): Some passengers reportedly faced waits of up to two to three hours, with Hobby Airport hit especially hard by staffing shortages.

JFK (New York): Waits climbed to 75 minutes Sunday morning after being much lower a day earlier.

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Newark (EWR): Delays reached 44 minutes at points.

LaGuardia (LGA): Waits rose to around 20 minutes, lower than other major hubs but still up from minimal waits the previous day.

Cincinnati (CVG): Third-party tracker estimates showed waits approaching nearly an hour.

San Juan (SJU): Third-party tracker estimates also showed waits approaching nearly an hour.

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AIRPORT CHECKPOINT CLOSURES SPREAD AS TSA WARNS OF SECURITY ‘THREAT,’ MORE TRAVEL DELAYS

The full national picture remains murky because official TSA tools are no longer reliably current.

“Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed,” a red alert atop the My TSA app reads Sunday. “Click here for more information.”

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That link reveals the data has not been updated for more than a month:

AIRLINE CEOS TORCH LAWMAKERS FOR TURNING AIR TRAVEL INTO A ‘POLITICAL FOOTBALL’

“This website was last updated on February 17, 2026 and will not be updated until after funding is enacted. As such, information on this website may not be up to date. Transactions submitted via this website might not be processed and we will not be able to respond to inquiries until after appropriations are enacted.”

VIDEO CAPTURES CRAZY AIRPORT CROWDS AS PASSENGERS POUR INTO TERMINAL AFTER SECURITY CHECKPOINTS CLOSE

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DHS has said more than 10% of TSA officers called out on more than half of the past seven days, with some airports averaging absence rates near 20%. At Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport, the rate reportedly climbed above 40% on certain days. Those no-shows have forced lane closures, longer backups and wild swings in wait times from one hour to the next.

For weeks, Republicans in Congress have been sharing the narrative – with photos and videos of TSA security delays – “thank a Democrat.

Trump even went so far as to call Democrats the “greatest enemy” Americans face, as he continues to declare victory over Iran.

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SHUTDOWN SPARKS FLIGHT CHAOS AS TSA LINES SPILL INTO PARKING LOTS WITH 3-HOUR WAITS OR LONGER

“Now with the death of Iran, the greatest enemy America has is the Radical Left, Highly Incompetent, Democrat Party!” Trump wrote Sunday morning on Truth Social.

Trump’s post came after his vow to send ICE agents to overwhelmed TSA security checkpoints at American airports. Coincidentally, Democrats have forced the Senate’s government shutdown for DHS funding over alleged abuse of power by ICE agents in Democrat-run sanctuary cities and states.

But, as Trump and Republicans frequently remind their counterparts, ICE is already fully funded since last summer’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so shutting down DHS appropriations is not accomplishing its stated goals.

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HOMELAND SECURITY REACTIVATES MAJOR GLOBAL ENTRY PROGRAM FOR TRAVELERS AMID SHUTDOWN

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, hailing border czar Tom Homan as the fixer the TSA chaos needs urgently.

“But watch, no matter how great a job ICE does, the Lunatics leading the incompetent Dems will be highly critical of their work. THEY WILL DO A FANTASTIC JOB. The great Tom Homan is in charge!!!”

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Democrats blasted the idea, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., calling it “another reckless, lawless threat to misuse ICE agents,” and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., accusing Trump of “manufacturing chaos at airports for political leverage.”

TRUMP SAYS ICE WILL DEPLOY TO AIRPORTS MONDAY TO ASSIST TSA AMID FUNDING STANDOFF

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned the mess could get much worse, saying current delays may look like “child’s play” if TSA personnel miss another paycheck. Officials have even suggested some airports could face deeper disruptions — or possible closures — if the staffing crisis keeps intensifying.

For now, airports are urging travelers to arrive at least three hours early, even for domestic departures. But for passengers staring down marathon lines, the advice is landing more like a warning than reassurance: the shutdown is no longer just a fight in Washington — it is now a checkpoint crisis playing out in real time at airports across America.

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“The current unpredictability is being driven by unpredictable staffing levels, basically, how many TSA officers are showing up for work on any given day,” Sheldon H. Jacobson, , the founder professor of engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an expert on aviation security and airport security screening, told Business Insider.

THUNE REVEALS REASON DEMOCRATS ARE ‘SCARED’ TO REOPEN DHS

“TSA officers have historically been cross-trained to do many different tasks, so the number that show up is the key factor,” Jacobson said.

ICE agents are not specifically trained for airport security, the domain of TSA, which has 65,000 employees, including 50,000 airport security officers. ICE has played a central role in the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown.

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“He seems to have no concept of what the limits are on ICE, and I think America would be absolutely appalled to see ICE agents roaming through airports, just as they’ve been breaking down doors at homes,” Blumenthal told reporters in Washington.

SCHUMER GAMBIT FAILS AS DHS SHUTDOWN HITS 36 DAYS AND AIRPORT LINES GROW

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, on Saturday offered to cover TSA paychecks “during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country.”

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Homeland Security historically has shifted resources across agencies during emergency staffing shortages, said Stewart Baker, who was a DHS policy official in President George W. Bush’s administration. Keeping TSA going without paying staff creates “serious trouble” for the agency, Baker said.

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Using ICE agents for airport security “may be slower than using trained people, but it would be better than having nobody,” he added.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Celcuity Stock Soars 14% to $143 on Positive Phase 3 Breast Cancer Trial Data

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Celcuity Stock Soars 14% to $143 on Positive Phase 3

NEW YORK — Celcuity Inc. shares surged more than 13.8 percent to $143 in early trading Monday, May 4, 2026, after the clinical-stage oncology company announced that its Phase 3 VIKTORIA-1 trial met the primary endpoint with clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival for patients with PIK3CA-mutant advanced breast cancer. The positive topline results for gedatolisib sent the biotech stock to new highs and reignited investor enthusiasm for the company’s targeted therapy pipeline just weeks before a potential FDA submission.

Celcuity reported that both the gedatolisib triplet and doublet regimens demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival compared to the control arm in the PIK3CA mutant cohort. The data, released late Friday, May 1, triggered a sharp after-hours rally that carried into Monday’s session. The company said the results support advancing toward a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) filing with the FDA, with a potential PDUFA target in July 2026.

The VIKTORIA-1 trial evaluated gedatolisib in combination with standard therapies for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients who had progressed after prior CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment. Gedatolisib, a first-in-class PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, targets a pathway frequently altered in breast cancer. Positive data in the PIK3CA mutant population — a subgroup with historically poorer outcomes — positions the drug as a potential new standard of care option in a market estimated to exceed $5 billion annually at peak.

Celcuity CEO Brian Sullivan called the results a “transformational milestone” for the company and patients. “These data demonstrate gedatolisib’s potential to meaningfully improve outcomes in a population with significant unmet need,” Sullivan said in the company’s release. The firm is now accelerating commercial launch preparations while advancing additional indications for the drug across multiple solid tumors.

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The stock reaction reflects high expectations. Celcuity has been on many biotech investors’ radars due to gedatolisib’s profile and its near-term regulatory timeline. Analysts have issued bullish price targets, with some projecting peak annual revenue exceeding $2.5 billion if the drug secures approval across multiple lines of therapy. Monday’s surge pushed the company’s market capitalization well above $6 billion.

The trial success comes at a pivotal time for Celcuity. The company has been advancing its precision medicine platform, which uses live tumor cell testing to identify patients most likely to benefit from targeted therapies. Gedatolisib represents the lead asset in this approach, and positive Phase 3 data significantly de-risks the program while strengthening its position ahead of potential partnership or commercialization discussions.

Broader market context amplified the move. Biotech stocks have shown renewed strength in 2026 amid improving regulatory sentiment and investor appetite for late-stage assets with clear paths to approval. Celcuity’s data stands out for its statistical robustness and clinical relevance in a competitive breast cancer landscape dominated by CDK4/6 inhibitors and antibody-drug conjugates.

Analysts reacted swiftly. Citizens initiated coverage with a Market Outperform rating and $150 price target earlier in the week, citing the drug’s potential. Other firms have highlighted the July 2026 PDUFA timeline as a key catalyst. While some caution remains around commercial execution and competition, the overall sentiment has turned increasingly bullish following the topline readout.

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For patients and physicians, the results offer hope for better options in later-line HR+/HER2- breast cancer. PIK3CA mutations occur in approximately 40 percent of cases, and effective targeted therapies have been limited. Gedatolisib’s mechanism and tolerability profile could fill an important gap if approved.

Celcuity has cash reserves to support operations through key milestones, including potential approval and launch. The company continues enrolling patients in additional trials exploring gedatolisib in other settings and tumor types, positioning it for potential label expansion in the years ahead.

As trading continued Monday morning, volume remained elevated and the stock held near session highs. The move underscores the biotech sector’s sensitivity to clinical data, where positive Phase 3 readouts can drive outsized gains even in a broader market environment focused on macro signals and Federal Reserve policy.

Looking forward, all eyes are on the full dataset presentation at an upcoming medical meeting and the company’s regulatory strategy. If the FDA accepts the filing with priority review, approval could come as early as late 2026, setting the stage for Celcuity’s transition from clinical developer to commercial-stage oncology company.

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The surge in Celcuity stock serves as a reminder of the high-reward potential in targeted oncology. For investors who backed the company through its development phase, Monday’s gains validate the long-term bet on gedatolisib. As the story unfolds, the biotech community will watch closely to see whether this positive momentum translates into sustained value creation in the competitive breast cancer market.

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This article was written by

Founder of Bern Factor LLC, an independent research and publishing firm located in Virginia. Author of “Making Wall Street Irrelevant – Successful Investing Made Simple.” I have more than 40 years of investing and analysis experience. I am a former CPA (1990 -2017) and became a CFA charter holder in 2000. I consider myself an expert in Quantitative and Qualitative analysis and have extensive experience in Technical Analysis. I also have a deep interest in stock market history and hold degrees in Economics (BS) and Management Information Systems (MBA). I have been actively involved with investment analysis since 1985 but have been a student of investing since the 1960s. I owned my first individual stock position while still in high school. I am a student of Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffett. I have achieved a uniquely diverse experience from multiple careers that has allowed me to develop a broad perspective enabling me to look at the big picture of macroeconomics all the way down to the detail of a retail unit or factory floor. In my youth I was in retail, then served in reconnaissance during my tours in Vietnam. I have been a blue collar, union worker in a factory and a manager in services, hospitality and transportation as well as a manager of professional staffs. I have more than 20 years of experience each in both the public and private sectors. I have personal points of reference that many analysts will never have. I bring more to the table than just the theories and models I have studied or built.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Short position through short-selling of the stock, or purchase of put options or similar derivatives in CWT over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

DISCLAIMER: This analysis is not advice to buy or sell this or any stock; it is just pointing out an objective observation of unique patterns that developed from our research. Factual material is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but the poster is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results of actions taken based on information contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities or to give individual investment advice.

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Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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GameStop’s Stunning $56 Billion Bid to Buy eBay Shocks Markets and Ignites Takeover Drama

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The eBay app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021.

NEW YORK — GameStop Corp. has made an unsolicited $56 billion offer to acquire eBay Inc. in a bold cash-and-stock deal that would combine the video game retailer with the iconic online marketplace and create what CEO Ryan Cohen calls a “legit competitor” to Amazon. The surprise proposal, revealed Sunday evening, values eBay at $125 per share — a roughly 20 percent premium to its recent closing price — and marks one of the most audacious takeover attempts in recent retail history.

GameStop, once a meme-stock phenomenon, has built a 5 percent stake in eBay through derivatives and common stock. In a letter to eBay’s board, Cohen outlined his vision for transforming the combined company into a much larger e-commerce player. He has secured a highly confident financing letter from TD Securities for up to $20 billion and plans to use GameStop’s existing cash reserves of approximately $9.4 billion to fund the cash portion of the deal. The offer is 50 percent cash and 50 percent GameStop stock, with full shareholder election rights.

The move stunned Wall Street. eBay shares surged more than 30 percent in pre-market trading Monday, while GameStop stock jumped on the news that its activist CEO is pursuing aggressive growth. Cohen told The Wall Street Journal he is prepared to take the bid directly to eBay shareholders in a proxy fight if the board rejects the proposal. He has hired White & Case as legal counsel and TD Securities for financing advice.

Analysts described the bid as ambitious yet challenging. GameStop’s current market value is a fraction of the $56 billion deal size, raising immediate questions about execution and regulatory hurdles. The company has been shrinking its physical retail footprint, closing hundreds of stores in recent years as it pivots toward e-commerce and collectibles. Cohen, who took the helm in 2021 during the meme-stock frenzy, has long pushed for a digital transformation.

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eBay, founded in 1995, remains a powerhouse in online auctions and fixed-price sales but has faced stiff competition from Amazon and newer platforms. Under CEO Jamie Iannone, the company has focused on streamlining operations, expanding its advertising business and improving the seller experience. eBay’s board has not yet commented publicly on the offer, though sources say it was unexpected.

If completed, the merger would create a retail giant with complementary strengths. GameStop brings gaming, collectibles and a passionate customer base, while eBay offers a massive marketplace for secondhand goods, electronics and niche categories. Cohen has expressed confidence that the combined entity could rival Amazon in select segments, particularly in used and collectible items where GameStop already excels.

The proposal comes as GameStop continues its evolution from brick-and-mortar video game retailer to a more diversified technology and e-commerce player. The company has invested heavily in its online presence and NFT-related initiatives in recent years. Cohen’s track record as an activist investor at GameStop and other firms has earned him a reputation for bold, sometimes controversial moves.

Wall Street reaction was mixed. Some analysts praised the vision of creating a true Amazon alternative in niche categories, while others questioned the financing structure and strategic fit. GameStop’s history of volatility — including the 2021 short squeeze that turned it into a cultural phenomenon — adds another layer of intrigue to the deal.

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For eBay shareholders, the offer represents a significant premium. The $125 per share price is well above recent trading levels and reflects Cohen’s belief that eBay is undervalued and capable of much higher growth under new leadership. Should the deal proceed, Cohen is expected to become CEO of the combined company.

The timing is notable. GameStop has been quietly accumulating its eBay stake since early February, according to regulatory filings. The company plans to file a Schedule 13D and HSR notification this week, formally disclosing its position and intentions.

Retail and e-commerce experts are watching closely. A successful combination could reshape parts of the online marketplace landscape, particularly in used goods and collectibles. However, regulatory scrutiny is likely given the size of the deal and the companies’ market positions. Antitrust concerns could arise, though the overlap in core businesses appears limited.

GameStop’s proposal highlights the ongoing disruption in retail. Traditional brick-and-mortar players are increasingly looking to acquire or merge with digital platforms to survive in an Amazon-dominated world. Cohen’s aggressive approach reflects his belief that bold moves are necessary to create long-term value.

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As markets digest the news, attention turns to eBay’s response. The board must evaluate the offer in the best interests of shareholders while considering strategic alternatives. A quick rejection could lead to a proxy battle, while acceptance would trigger a complex integration process.

For now, the bid has injected fresh excitement into both companies’ stories. GameStop, once written off as a declining retailer, is once again at the center of a major deal. eBay, long viewed as a steady but uninspiring marketplace, suddenly finds itself the target of one of the most talked-about takeover attempts in years.

The coming days will be critical as both sides navigate the next steps. Investors, analysts and consumers alike are eager to see how this high-stakes drama unfolds. Whether the deal ultimately succeeds or serves as a catalyst for other strategic moves, GameStop’s $56 billion offer has already rewritten the narrative for two iconic names in retail and e-commerce.

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