Francesca Page

Yes, Georgia.

Well, you know, obviously this stems from the shutdown over DHS because Democrats don't want to fund DHS, which, of course, oversees TSA.

However, TSA officers are considered essential employees.

So that means they still have to work even as they're not getting paid.

And then they'll receive back pay once the shutdown ends.

But as it's dragging on for weeks now, probably not surprising, a lot of TSA officials are deciding they don't really like that deal.

Travel analyst Francesca Page, host of the Beyond the Map travel podcast, spoke with Morning Wire, and she told us that at some airports, absentee rates have climbed to 30% or even higher, and these effects are being felt across the country.

So Democrats are unhappy about ICE arrests and immigration enforcement more broadly.

So they're saying no money for TSA unless Republicans are prepared to make major changes to ICE, including banning them from wearing face masks and also requiring them to wear name tags, personal identification on their uniforms.

Now, Republicans counter that this would open up ICE agents to harassment, doxing, potentially even violent threats.

This is what Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told ABC on Sunday.

So the upshot is you're hearing from a lot of Republicans that Democrats are willing to hold our air travel hostage, basically, in order to get what they want when it comes to immigration reforms.

And Republicans say that the American people

elected Donald Trump to secure the border and to enforce immigration.

So they're digging in as well.

Yeah, Georgia.

Border Czar Tom Homan has been out making the rounds on cable news, including CNN, saying that starting as early as this week, ICE agents are going to step in and help fill the staffing gap that we're seeing with TSA.

And then another possible solution.

On Saturday, Elon Musk posted this to X. He said that he will, quote, pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is so negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country.

Now, legally, it's not entirely clear that he can do this if a private citizen is allowed to pay