A security warning, buried: How a classified TSA report stalled inside DHS
An internal watchdog report in the Department of Homeland Security identified serious vulnerabilities in TSA's screenings at airports nationwide.
Updated on: March 25, 2026 / 1:42 PM EDT / CBS News
Airports nationwide are in disarray amid Congress' failure to approve DHS funding , with TSA agents having gone without pay for 40 days.
After a classified inspector general audit deployed "red team" testing of airport checkpoints — undercover audits in which investigators attempt to slip simulated weapons or explosives past screeners — investigators raised serious concerns about vulnerabilities in TSA screening procedures.
Investigators questioned if a politically popular 2025 policy change allowing passengers to keep their shoes on during screening may have outpaced the technology's ability to detect threats concealed in footwear.
DHS top watchdog undercuts Noem's sworn testimony