Latest news with #HaNguyenMcNeill
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Expert Warns Against TSA Privatization
Over the past several months, there has been talk about the possibility of privatizing the Transportation Security Administration. But one expert seems to think that would be a mistake. During an oversight hearing before the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month, TSA's Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said "nothing is off the table" when she was asked whether or not she thought the agency should be privatized. '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 according to USA Today. 'And so if new privatization schemes make sense, then we're happy to have that discussion to see what we can come up with.' One prominent travel expert warned of the possible security risks of privatizing TSA. In an email to USA Today, Scott Keyes, founder of Going, pointed out that the TSA was "created specifically in response to the failures of the private airport screening model to stop" the terrorist attacks on 9/11. He said that opponents of the idea "point to safety and workers' rights." Americans who traveled before 9/11 might remember that airport security was quite different with far fewer regulations and a far less rigorous screening process. "It's hard to imagine us going back to those days now, but privatization could compromise security as contracts usually go to the lowest bidder," The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said in a statement earlier this month. "The same companies that failed us on 9/11 are now under different names and are looking to get a share of the profitable pie. Their background checks for job applicants are also very unlikely to be as vigorous as TSA's, and there's always a possibility of lapsed oversight despite security standards set by TSA." Keyes pointed out that "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." Still, he wouldn't rule it out completely. "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." Expert Warns Against TSA Privatization first appeared on Men's Journal on May 27, 2025
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
TSA Chief Addresses Possible Privatization
Currently, airport security in the United States is done by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a government agency that is an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. However, there is a possibility that TSA could be privatized in the future, and the agency's head broke her silence on the possibility. During an oversight hearing before the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month, TSA's Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill was asked whether or not she felt that the agency should be privatized. McNeill did not give a specific answer, but she did say that 'nothing is off the table' in regard to the agency's future. '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 according to USA Today. '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 also said that there is a chance that some airports could choose to privatize TSA while others don't. 'It's not an all-or-nothing game,' she said. Proponents of a privatization model suggest that it could cut costs, especially for smaller airports, while critics cite concerns about security and works rights as well as the possibility of higher employee turnover. While many countries around the world use private security at airports, TSA was adopted in response to what was perceived as failures in the private security model, leading to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It's worth noting that there are currently plans to privatize TSA, but it has been a point of discussion amongst lawmakers and government officials in recent months, so it remains a very real possibility in the future. TSA Chief Addresses Possible Privatization first appeared on Men's Journal on May 27, 2025
Epoch Times
20-05-2025
- Epoch Times
TSA Says Nearly 7 Percent of Air Travelers Don't Have ‘REAL ID'
Nearly 7 percent of travelers flying through U.S. airports still do not have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill wrote in The new enforcement began on May 7, marking the end of repeated delays to implement a key post-9/11 security measure. Under the REAL ID Act of 2005, standard driver's licenses must meet stricter federal security standards to be accepted at airport checkpoints. More than 93 percent of passengers now present either a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative, such as a passport, McNeill said. McNeill noted that, as the 9/11 Commission Report stated, travel documents are 'as important as weapons' for terrorists. 'This Administration will no longer delay the decades-long deferment of these requirements,' she added, noting collaboration with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. TSA was formed under DHS in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. McNeill said the enforcement comes as TSA braces for record-breaking passenger volumes during the 2026 World Cup across 11 U.S. cities and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The agency is committed to improving both security and the traveler experience, she said, calling this period a 'strategic crossroads' for the agency and for the broader U.S. transportation network. Related Stories 5/7/2025 5/6/2025 McNeill highlighted the rollout of upgraded screening technologies. As of April, TSA had deployed more than 2,100 Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) machines and nearly 1,000 Computed Tomography (CT) scanners. CAT machines verify IDs and boarding information, and many now support mobile driver's licenses and optional facial recognition. CT scanners allow passengers to keep laptops and liquids in bags by generating 3D images of carry-on contents. Still, a full rollout to all 432 commercial airports is years away, the agency said. TSA expects to finish installing CAT machines nationwide by 2049 and CT scanners by 2043, barring further delays. The agency screened 904 million passengers, 494 million checked bags, and 2.1 billion carry-on bags in 2024, said McNeill, who described these as 'record highs' for U.S. airports. She added that 3 million passengers are screened on peak days. The written testimony further emphasized a shift in priorities under Secretary Noem, saying DHS is moving toward 'innovation, organizational accountability, and a renewed focus on passenger experience and security' and away from the Biden administration's focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). 'With continued support from Congress and this Committee, a screening process that is efficient, technologically integrated, secure, and more affordable to the American taxpayer is within our grasp,' she said.
