DHS Abruptly Reverses Suspension as Tsa Precheck Reopens; Chicago Airports See Long Lines and Cancellations During Nor'easter
The Department of Homeland Security closed and then reopened Tsa Precheck and Global Entry on Sunday, a reversal that created long lines and passenger confusion at Chicago airports during a major nor'easter and a wider partial DHS shutdown. The change affected millions of travelers and coincided with hundreds of flight disruptions, compounding travel stress for people already facing severe winter weather.
Tsa Precheck suspension, reversal and scope
DHS announced a suspension of Tsa Precheck and Global Entry Saturday night that was set to take effect at 5 a. m. Chicago time Sunday. Hours later — after 9: 30 a. m. — the department announced the programs would remain operational with no change for the traveling public. The initial move also suspended courtesy escorts for members of Congress. Two DHS there are no changes to Global Entry. Officials added that if staffing constraints become a problem, operations would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and adjusted accordingly.
Immediate impact at Chicago airports
Airport staff and travelers described long lines and confusion when PreCheck lanes were temporarily closed, forcing those passengers into general security lines. One traveler, Jason Hahn, said he arrived 45 minutes earlier than usual because he travels every week and adjusted his schedule in case he had to use the general-security queue at O'Hare. Hahn said not having Global Entry can be the difference of two hours and added that he almost felt like the move was punitive, expressing concern about whether staffing levels had changed.
Flight cancellations and delays amid the nor'easter
Compounding the security disruption, Chicago airports experienced hundreds of cancellations and delays as a major nor'easter moved up the East Coast. As of 5: 30 p. m. Sunday, O'Hare recorded 133 cancellations with average delays of 16 minutes, while Midway recorded 23 cancellations with average delays of less than 15 minutes. Travelers faced both weather-related disruptions and the confusion produced by the brief suspension of screening programs.
Storm footprint and regional response
The nor'easter was forecast to barrel through the Northeast Coast from Sunday into Monday, expected to dump at least a foot of snow in some areas and prompting the first blizzard warning for New York City in nearly a decade. Roughly 40 million Americans were under a blizzard warning and another 14 million faced winter storm warnings. Governors in seven Northeast states — Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island — declared states of emergency. Maryland's governor, Wes Moore, declared a state of preparedness. Several governors advised people to stay off roadways, and multiple states including New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island issued travel bans.
Political and operational context of the DHS action
The partial DHS shutdown began on Feb. 14 after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on agency funding. The shutdown followed calls from some lawmakers for changes to immigration operations in the wake of the deadly shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents; those events were cited as a factor in pushback that contributed to the funding impasse. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that shutdowns have serious real-world consequences and said TSA and Customs and Border Protection were prioritizing the general traveling population and suspending courtesy and special-privilege escorts to focus on core security missions.
Worker and agency notes, reactions and uncertainty
The partial shutdown has already had personnel consequences: TSA workers have missed one paycheck. Air traffic controllers were not impacted by the shutdown. Travel expert Peter Greenberg reacted to the temporary suspension as more of a political gesture than a practical fix, saying it lengthened lines without resolving underlying issues. With Tsa Precheck reopened, travelers expressed relief but also hope that operations remain stable as staffing and weather pressures continue. Details may evolve as agencies assess staffing and storm impacts further.
