Today, Explained Should we privatize TSA?
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Mar 30, 2026 
Daryl Campbell, The Verge aviation writer and author, joins Tatiana Finley, a TSA officer and union representative. They dig into shutdown-fueled airport chaos. Finley talks about unpaid screeners, burnout, and shaky job security. Campbell explores private screening at some airports, the push to privatize, post-9/11 security standards, and why the debate is more complicated than it sounds.
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Tatiana Finley Joined TSA Because of 9 11
- Tatiana Finley joined TSA after 9/11 as her way to serve the country without joining the military.
- She had worked at an airport food stand, was turned away on 9/11, and expected a stable federal job that became a 22-year career.
Shutdowns Broke TSA's Promise of Stability
- Repeated shutdowns turned TSA work from a stable federal job into a source of fear for officers and their families.
- Tatiana Finley heard officers report eviction threats, no electricity, and missed life-saving medication while still showing up unpaid.
TSA Workers Became Political Bargaining Chips
- Tatiana Finley says shutdown blame belongs to all elected officials, not one party, because workers became leverage in a political fight.
- She contrasts Congress with TSA officers who still report to work unpaid after swearing an oath to do their jobs.
