
Could TSA be privatized? What it could mean for travelers.
"I think ... the North Star for us at TSA is making sure that we are driving the highest level of security, the best passenger experience in the most efficient way possible," McNeill told lawmakers during the May 20 hearing. "And so if new privatization schemes make sense, then we're happy to have that discussion to see what we can come up with."
She added that some airports could choose to privatize while others don't. "It's not an all-or-nothing game," she said.
What would it mean if the TSA privatized?
The possibility of privatizing TSA has been a divisive idea. The public agency was "created specifically in response to the failures of the private airport screening model to stop" the terrorist attacks on 9/11, said Scott Keyes, founder of Going.
"Proponents of privatizing TSA argue that doing so would save money (especially in smaller airports), allow for more accountability of errant workers, and bring the U.S. in line with many other countries that have privatized some or all of their airport screeners," he told USA TODAY in an email.
McNeill noted that privatization "has always been a part of the TSA construct since its inception under the Screening Partnership Program," which contracts with private companies for security screening at commercial airports. According to the TSA's website, 21 airports participate in the SPP.
While Keyes said there has not yet been a "serious push" to privatize the agency, other types of privatization in aviation aren't totally unheard-of. In many countries, including Canada, air traffic control is fully privatized. Even in the U.S., some smaller air traffic control facilities are contracted out to private operators that partner with the Federal Aviation Administration.
There have long been calls to fully privatize the FAA's air traffic control organization, though none of those proposals have been adopted.
What are the risks of privatizing TSA?
Keyes said opponents of the idea "point to safety and workers' rights."
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents around 47,000 TSA Transportation Security Officers, has said that privatizing screening could compromise security and result in high employee turnover, as was commonly seen prior to 9/11.
Keyes also noted that the cost savings would be partly achieved by paying private screeners lower wages than TSA officers make now.
TSA did not immediately share a comment on the concerns prior to publishing.
Escobar also pushed back on the idea during the hearing, which she noted was mentioned in Project 2025. President Donald Trump distanced himself from the conservative policy blueprint while campaigning, but many of his moves have closely aligned with it since taking office.
"I definitely would call (privatization) a 'scheme' as well," she told McNeill. "I hope that privatization is not a part of the administration's efforts."
The Department of Homeland Security announced it was ending collective bargaining for TSOs in March, arguing the move would "enhance productivity and resiliency" and make the workforce more agile, among other benefits. AFGE sued the Trump administration following the decision.
"This attack on our members is not just an attack on AFGE or transportation security officers. It's an assault on the rights of every American worker," AFGE President Everett Kelley said in a news release at the time. "Tearing up a legally negotiated union contract is unconstitutional, retaliatory, and will make the TSA experience worse for American travelers."
McNeill said during the hearing that the committee, Congress and stakeholders have a say as officials "look to modernize TSA."
Keyes believes "it's still quite unlikely we'll see the Trump Administration privatize the TSA, given the extreme political risk if another terrorist attack were to occur."
"But given what we've seen from DOGE and the White House this year," he continued, "it's fair to say that the chances of privatization have never been higher."
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Scottish Sun
13 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Brits among 9,000 migrants to be sent to Guantanamo in Trump plan to make notorious terror prison a vast detention site
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRITS are among the 9,000 migrants set to be sent to the infamous Guantanamo Bay in President Donald Trump's plan to make its notorious terror prison a detention site. The first transfers are set to begin within a matter of days as the Trump administration dramatically ramps up its vast crackdown on illegal immigration. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 President Donald Trump plans to make Guantanamo's notorious terror prison a detention site Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 10 The first plane of detained migrants arriving at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on February 4 Credit: AFP 10 Trump said he planned to detain 'criminal illegal aliens' at the notorious Guantanamo Bay military prison Credit: AFP 10 At the start of the year, the US President announced his plans to send up to 30,000 illegal immigrants to detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters at the time that 'the White House is currently working on [using] resources we currently have in Guantanamo Bay' to increase the number of beds for 'the worst of the worst.' 'We're already doing it,' Noem said. 'We're building it out.' The notorious Cuban camp was previously used as a military prison for those captured during George W Bush's "war on terror" after the heinous 9/11 attacks. read more news ELON SECOND THOUGHT Musk says he 'REGRETS' some of his bitter attacks on Trump after X row This week alone, at least 9,000 people are being identified for a potential transfer to the prison as early as Wednesday, according to documents seen by Politico. Roughly a whopping 800 Europeans are on the list of potential Guantanamo detainees - including British and French citizens, the Washington Post reports. Currently roughly 500 migrants have been held at the jail dubbed "Gitmo" for short periods of time in the past few months. According to the Trump administration, it works as a pit stop on the way to being deported to the country those being held came from. The bombshell move represents the administration's further toughening on immigration policy. Critics say the Guantanamo threat works to deter new illegal immigrants from entering the US whilst also encouraging those already in the country to self-deport. The Sun visits Guantanamo Bay One State Department official told Politico: "The message is to shock and horrify people, to upset people - but we're allies." But the deportation plans don't come without legal challenges. A court in Washington is considering a plea to outlaw the use of Guantanamo to house migrants as the American Civil Liberties Union claims they are being held in horrific conditions. Detainees are apparently kept in a rat-infested camp, served inadequate food and denied the weekly change of clothing. Detainees once endured sleep deprivation, waterboarding, and extreme temperature exposure as part of the CIA's 'enhanced interrogation' program. One of the most infamous detainees, Abu Zubaydah, was waterboarded 83 times and kept in a coffin-sized box for hours on end. While the camp once held nearly 800 suspected terrorists, that number has dwindled to just 15, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks. The last remaining detainees exist in a legal limbo, held indefinitely as the US struggles to either prosecute, transfer, or release them. 10 U.S. Navy sailors and Coast Guardsmen erect expeditionary shelter tents Credit: via REUTERS 10 Trump's border czar Tom Homan said the administration would expand the capacity of the hellhole facility as the military planned to put up temporary tents Credit: Reuters 10 The first USmilitary aircraft to carry detained migrants to a detention facility at Guantanamo Bay Credit: Reuters The ACLU accused the Trump administration of using Guantanamo "to frighten immigrants, deter future migration, induce self-deportation, and coerce people in detention to give up claims against removal and accept deportation elsewhere". The US Justice Department vehemently denied the claim, telling the court that Guantanamo is solely used as a temporary stop. Nine Brit citizens were previously held in Guantanamo in 2004, of which five were repatriated. And nine more people who had residency status in the UK but not citizenship were also held at the camp. Trump's border czar Tom Homan previously said the administration would expand the capacity of the hellhole facility. He said: "We're just going to expand upon that existing migrant center." Meanwhile Noem shared images of migrants arriving at the Guantanamo facility. She wrote on social media: "President Donald Trump has been very clear: Guantanamo Bay will hold the worst of the worst. "That starts today." The prison has cost US taxpayers over $6 billion to operate, with an annual budget of $540 million — roughly $13 million per prisoner. A dedicated medical wing, staffed by doctors, psychiatrists, and even dentists, exists to prevent detainees from dying in custody, ensuring they remain locked away indefinitely. What is Guantanamo Bay? By Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter GUANTANAMO Bay has long been synonymous with human rights abuses, indefinite detention, and controversial interrogation techniques. First opened in 2002 by George W. Bush in the wake of 9/11, the high-security facility became a legal black hole. There, suspects could be held without trial, subjected to brutal conditions, and interrogated using 'enhanced techniques'—a euphemism for torture. The prison complex, located on Cuban soil but under US control, is a fortress of isolation. Guard towers loom over the razor-wire fences, motion-activated searchlights sweep the perimeter, and cameras monitor every inch of the facility. Inside, detainees — most clad in orange jumpsuits — have spent decades in concrete cells measuring just 6.8 square feet, often with nothing but a thin mattress, a metal toilet, and a small slit for daylight. Prisoners have been force-fed through nasal tubes during hunger strikes, shackled in stress positions for hours, and subjected to psychological torment. Detainees once endured sleep deprivation, waterboarding, and extreme temperature exposure as part of the CIA's 'enhanced interrogation' program. Prisoners are separated into camps based on their perceived threat level. The most notorious detainees are housed in Camp 5 and Camp 7, which are maximum-security units where prisoners are kept in near-total isolation. Others are held in Camp 6, where detainees live communally but are still closely monitored. Camp X-Ray, the original makeshift site of the prison, was shuttered years ago, but its haunting images of hooded detainees kneeling behind barbed wire remain a symbol of Guantanamo's dark legacy. 10 US Marines heading to the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay Credit: Reuters 10 US Army soldier walking at unused common detainee space in 'Camp 6' detention facility at the US Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay Credit: AFP


The Herald Scotland
16 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Trump, Newsom each find support and face risks in immigration debate
"In a way, it benefits both Trump and Newsom. Trump's core supporters love dramatic displays of force, and they hate California," John Pitney Jr., a politics professor at Claremont McKenna College, told USA TODAY. "Progressive Democrats hate Trump. They've been leery of Newsom's outreach to conservatives, and his recent statements shore up support on his left." But there are also political threats to both men if the protests drag on, which could make each look ineffective. The additional risk to Newsom's presidential aspirations in 2028 is that other Democrats could come away looking more powerful, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer or Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. "Politically, at least, Newson is in the trickier spot here," William Howell, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, told USA TODAY. Trump campaign on immigration enforcement and has long criticized California Trump and the GOP have long portrayed California as the epitome of bad governance. They've recently poured the blame on Newsom, who was first elected as governor to the nation's most populous state in 2019 and now is in his second term. California's high taxes, homeless problem and other issues have provided the GOP with political fodder for years. "Donald Trump wants to portray California as the epitome of an America gone wrong," said Sonoma State University political science professor David McCuan. The clash between protesters who burned cars, threw rocks and shot fireworks at authorities plays into the GOP's portrayal of California as chaotic. The situation revolves around an issue - undocumented immigration - where Trump believes he has a mandate from voters for mass deportations and strong border security. "Illegal immigration was on top of voters' minds across the country in 2024," said Mark Bednar, a former senior House GOP leadership aide. "And it should shock no one that President Trump is working around the clock to address it." Newsome accuses Trump of political overreach Newsom has condemned the violence, but the pressure from the GOP shows the difficult situation he's in trying to criticize Trump's actions as overreach while also maintaining order in his state. "Newsom, meanwhile, has clear incentives to stand up to Trump and decry his autocratic excesses, which explains his vocal opposition," said Howell from the University of Chicago. "But if he harbors national political ambitions, which he plainly does, then Newsom needs to avoid aligning himself with the most extreme members of the Democratic Party." Matt Lesenyie, a political science professor at California State University Long Beach political, said Newsom is at a "huge disadvantage" against Trump on this issue. "A lot of people, not just Newsom, get hurt with Trump because they let him pick the fight," Lesenyie said. "I think it's too late for Newsom or (Los Angeles Mayor) Karen Bass... this is going to turn into a war of images." Surrogates fuel the political fires The California confrontation has spread far beyond the state's boundaries. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, told reporters June 10 that Newsom "ought to be tarred and feathered" for "standing in the way of the administration carrying out federal law." In the Oval Office with Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Californians "should never elect him into a leadership position ever again." Trump added: "The governor's a nice guy but he's grossly incompetent." Trump told reporters later in the day he's "always had a good relationship" with Newsom and had a 16-minute phone conversation with him, but that "he just doesn't do a very good job." "We have an Olympics coming up," Trump said of the 2028 games. "We have a lot of people all over the world watching Los Angeles. We've got the Olympics, so we have this guy allowing this to happen." Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, said in a social media post June 9 he stands for "free speech, peaceful demonstrations and immigration - but this is not that." "This is anarchy and true chaos," he said. "My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement." But other fellow Democrats have rallied to Newsom's defense. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Senate subcommittee responsible for the Pentagon's budget, said "warfighters are not political tools meant to patrol the streets of our own cities or to suppress the political views of their fellow Americans." "I trust local law enforcement, Mayor Bass, and Governor Newsom when they say that violence won't be tolerated and that they are able to handle these protests without the military," Coons said. "What President Trump is doing is not only unneeded. It has made the situation much worse." Those competing visions on how to handle the protests were on full display during a June 10 House hearing featuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who faced a question from Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-California, seeking justification for using the military for civilian law enforcement. "Why are you sending warfighters to cities to interact with civilians?" Aguilar asked. Hegseth replied that Trump "believes in law and order.'


The Herald Scotland
16 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Trump wants 20,000 National Guardsmen to hunt, transport immigrants
Keeping 20,000 National Guardsmen on duty for one year would cost $3.6 billion, according to a U.S. official briefed on the potential deployment. However, it's unclear how many Guardsmen are available to fill the request, according to a Defense official. More: As ICE touts arrests, chaotic scenes emerge amid immigration crackdown The moves would shift the military from its mission of defending the nation against foreign enemies toward policing its streets, according to critics such as Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. Trump has upped the ante in recent days, ordering the 4,000 California National Guardsmen to Los Angeles and deploying 700 active-duty Marines to the city over the objection of Gov. Gavin Newsom. That deployment is costing $134 million. "Using the U.S. military to support immigration enforcement within our own borders would threaten the longstanding American principle of separating law enforcement from military power," Reed said in a statement to USA TODAY. "Such a move would erode civil liberties and set a dangerous precedent for the militarization of American communities. I've voted for billions in smart and focused immigration enforcement, but it is a duty for law enforcement, not the armed forces." More: LA protests went from small to substantial over three days. Here's what unfolded On June 10, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated the National Guard would soon take on a larger role in domestic security. He told a House committee that the United States was entering a new "phase" in which the National Guard would "become a critical component of how we secure that homeland." "The National Guard is a huge component of how we see the future," he said. At Fort Bliss in Texas, the Army has a facility holding about 100 immigrants in a detention facility. A larger facility is being built there to house as many as 5,000 people, according to a U.S. official briefed on the operation but not authorized to speak publicly. Other bases under consideration to detain immigrants include Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Travis Air Force Base and Camp Parks in California, Fort Walker in Virginia and Camp Atterbury in Indiana. Officials visited those bases months ago, but it's unclear if any have been selected to receive detainees, the Defense official said. The location of some of the bases near major metropolitan areas like New York City and San Francisco indicates that immigration sweeps like the one in Los Angeles could take place there, too, the official said. Separately, the request from Homeland Security calls for up to 21,000 National Guard troops whose "support will encompass both non-law enforcement support functions and sworn law enforcement activities." There are thousands of National Guard and active-duty troops at the southern border. However, a memo reviewed by USA TODAY acknowledges that it is the first formal request by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deploy national staff "in support of interior immigration enforcement operations." ICE is carrying out a directive from Trump to find immigrants living in the United States without legal status. Protests have sprung up against the sweeps the agency is carrying out in various neighborhoods. Active-duty troops are generally prohibited from domestic policing under the Posse Comitatus Act, a 19th-century law that "embodies an American tradition that sees military interference in civilian affairs as a threat to both democracy and personal liberty," according to the Brennan Center for Justice. But National Guard troops are rarely subject to the law, and, under the direction of a state's governor, can participate in law enforcement activities. A governor of a state sympathetic to the request from Homeland Security could provide the troops for the request from Homeland Security, according to the U.S. official who is familiar with the request but not authorized to speak publicly about it. The request states that the National Guard troops would be funded under Title 32, the law that leaves the Guardsmen under the control of their state's governor but uses federal taxpayer dollars to fund their activities. The request seeks troops to aid immigration enforcement in five areas, including "Attempt to Locate" - Fugitives. Homeland Security is seeking as many as 3,500 Guardsmen for investigative units, surveillance and "Night operations and rural interdiction." The largest ask for troops falls in the category of "Transportation Support," with as many as 10,000 troops needed. These personnel would help transport detainees and "unaccompanied alien children." The request also seeks buses, vans and aircraft. As many 2,500 troops fall under the request for help in "Detention Support." These Guardsmen would support "overwhelmed detention facilities." Among their expected duties: "riot control." Other troops are being sought for search and rescue, medical units and public affairs to manage "public information during high-visibility operations." The deployment of thousands of additional National Guard troops in immigration enforcement could affect the public's perception of the military, said Lindsay Cohn, a political scientist and expert on the domestic use of the military. Cohn is also an associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College, but spoke about this issue in a personal capacity and not as a representative of the college or federal government. Homeland Security can justify the request by arguing it lacks the manpower to conduct the sweeps, Cohn said. But raids on schools and businesses are unpopular with the American public. Also, how troops conduct themselves matters a great deal for public perception and confidence, she said. If they behave with restraint, Cohn said, they may be able to maintain an appearance of not "taking sides." However, given that many in law enforcement personnel dress in military-like uniforms, the public may not differentiate between troops and law enforcement.