Senator Tammy Duckworth Demands TSA Reinstate Shoes-Off Rule, Citing Classified OIG Findings of “Airport Security Vulnerability”
Sen. Tammy Duckworth urged the TSA to reverse its July 8, 2025 “shoes-on” checkpoint policy after a classified DHS OIG audit reportedly found scanners cannot reliably screen shoes, calling the lapse a significant security vulnerability that endangers travelers.
- Classified OIG audit: A DHS Office of Inspector General red-team test reportedly found TSA scanners miss items concealed in footwear — prompting an urgent Seven-Day Letter to DHS leadership (CBS News).
- Policy change: The agency allowed travelers to keep shoes on beginning July 8, 2025 — a move critics say prioritized convenience over detection (Passenger Terminal Today).
- Congressional action: Duckworth formally urged Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill to restore shoes-off screening and raised legal questions about DHS’s response timeline (CBS News; Fox News).
Background: how the shoes policy changed
For decades after the 2001 attempted shoe bombing by Richard Reid, U.S. checkpoints required travelers to remove footwear for X‑ray screening. That shoes-off practice was designed to reveal explosives or hidden items inside footwear and became standard airport procedure.
On July 8, 2025, then‑DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued a directive allowing passengers to keep shoes on during security screening, a change promoted as reducing wait times and improving passenger experience. Senator Duckworth says the policy appears to have been adopted without meaningful consultation with TSA and called the decision “reckless” (Passenger Terminal Today; Fox News).
What the DHS OIG found
The DHS Office of Inspector General conducted covert red team testing of TSA screening technology and — according to reporting — concluded that TSA’s Advanced Imaging Technology and other scanners could not reliably detect threat items concealed in shoes. The OIG reportedly issued a Seven‑Day Letter urging immediate corrective action (CBS News).
According to reports, red-team tests simulated realistic threats and found that, with shoes left on, scanners missed items that would be revealed if footwear were screened separately.
Duckworth’s letter and legal questions
Senator Tammy Duckworth — the Democratic ranking member on the relevant Senate subcommittee — sent a formal letter to Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill demanding an immediate withdrawal of the shoes-on directive and restoration of shoes-off screening. Duckworth called Noem’s change “a reckless act” and criticized DHS for allowing a seven‑month lapse without corrective action (Passenger Terminal Today; CBS News).
Duckworth also flagged a missed statutory or regulatory 90‑day deadline for DHS to outline corrective actions after the OIG report, suggesting potential noncompliance with federal rules and raising questions about accountability and oversight.
Political context and administration changes
The shoes-on policy was implemented under Secretary Noem’s tenure; Duckworth’s letter criticized that change as taken without adequate consultation and for failing to address urgent OIG findings. Media reports noted Noem’s subsequent removal by President Trump and replacement by Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a shift cited in related coverage (Fox News).
Duckworth framed the issue as one of competence and public safety rather than partisan point‑scoring, calling the buried report and months of inaction “outrageous, unacceptable and dangerous to the flying public” (CBS News).
Media coverage and public response
The story received national attention after reporting by CBS News, with additional coverage from Passenger Terminal Today and Fox News.
As of available reporting, neither TSA nor DHS publicly responded to Duckworth’s letter, and Noem’s office did not provide a statement in the cited stories — leaving open whether TSA will reverse course or implement alternate fixes.
Security implications explained
Security experts and lawmakers weigh faster checkpoints against layered defenses. The OIG red-team results, as reported, suggest that keeping shoes on reduces scanners’ ability to reveal items hidden inside footwear — a gap that could be exploited by attackers to smuggle prohibited items onto aircraft (Passenger Terminal Today).
Duckworth’s argument: The modest inconvenience of removing shoes is outweighed by the potential to prevent catastrophic events; she urges restoring shoes-off screening until technology, procedures, or training fully address OIG concerns (Fox News).
Implications for Hesperia, California
Economic impact: Hesperia residents who use nearby airports could see modest increases in checkpoint times if shoes-off screening returns — affecting travel schedules, local tourism, and businesses that rely on predictable travel.
Political consequences: Local leaders in Hesperia may press members of Congress for transparency and swift corrective action, and the issue could prompt calls for hearings or direct inquiries of TSA compliance with federal rules.
Social and practical effects: Families traveling with children or seniors may face temporary inconvenience (assistance removing footwear), but many residents may welcome the perceived increase in flight safety. Practical advice: plan extra time for checkpoints and choose easy-to-remove shoes.
Questions local officials might consider include: Are nearby airport authorities reassessing shoe screening risks? Will signage, staffing, or traveler guidance be updated to help passengers adapt?
Sources and further reading
- CBS News: “Senate Democrat demands TSA lift ‘shoes on’ policy after watchdog said scanners can’t screen shoes”
- Passenger Terminal Today: “Senator calls for return to shoes-off policy at TSA checkpoints citing security vulnerability”
- Fox News: “Dem lawmaker calls on TSA to bring back ‘shoes off’ airport security policy”
Reporting note: This article is based on published reporting and a letter obtained by media outlets. The OIG audit is described as classified in media accounts. No public response from TSA or DHS was reported in the referenced stories (CBS News).
