LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — More than 1,000 Transportation Security Administration workers in Las Vegas continue to work without pay amid the partial government shutdown, but operations at Harry Reid Airport remain normal.
Unlike many airports across the country experiencing long lines, travelers at Harry Reid are moving through checkpoints quickly, with wait times ranging between two to 15 minutes.
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Keith White, assistant director of legislative and political affairs for the American Federation of Government Employees in Nevada, attributes the efficiency to the dedication of local agents and new technology.
"A lot of our workers they are coming to work. We pick up shifts, we pick up where other airports are lacking," White said.
While many agents are showing up to work, White noted that sick calls have doubled to more than 100 calls a day. He added that new biometric facial technology at the airport is helping avoid long lines as thousands of spring breakers travel through.
"Almost like a touchless check-in. It's something you have to do with your airlines. When you come to the check-in, you stand there, it takes your photo and allows you to walk immediately through," White said.
The smooth operations in Las Vegas come as President Donald Trump sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to more than a dozen airports nationwide to help TSA workers. Airport officials told me, "ICE has not been augmented to support TSA at LAS."
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"Absolutely not. I don't see how having any ICE agents at any of the airports is going to help. There's 5-6 months worth of training that we have to do, and it's an ongoing process, and it's not something, even if you are an ICE agent, that you can show up and do," White said.
White said what will actually help TSA workers is for the partial government shutdown to end so they can get paid.
"This is the worst time ever to be going through a shutdown. Gas is $5 a gallon," White said.
"These employees don't deserve this. There's just no way that you can ask somebody to come to work for 43 days, for 6 days, for 37 days, without paying them. We need to do better," White said.
Travelers I spoke with are grateful for the TSA agents and are calling on lawmakers to pay them.
"Get back to work and open up the government. Or if they are not going to open up the government, let's at least pay the TSA agents and not have ICE agents standing over them who are getting paid looking at them when they are not getting paid," one traveler said.
Harry Reid Airport is still accepting donations to help feed TSA workers affected by the shutdown. You can coordinate drop-offs by calling airport control at (702) 261-7157.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
