Duckworth demands TSA restore ‘shoes-off’ rule after watchdog finds scanners miss threats
Sen. Tammy Duckworth is urging the TSA to reinstate the “shoes-off” airport-screening rule after a classified DHS inspector-general audit found scanners frequently fail to detect threats hidden in footwear, calling the July 8, 2025 policy change “reckless.”
Key takeaways
- Urgent watchdog finding: A classified DHS inspector-general red-team audit concluded current scanners cannot reliably detect threats in shoes.
- Senate pressure: Senator Tammy Duckworth has formally asked the TSA to restore the shoes-off rule and raised legal concerns over missed deadlines.
- Policy unchanged as of April 2026: Despite leadership changes at DHS, the shoes-on policy remains in effect while questions about scanner performance persist.
Main story
Key information
Letter and timeline: Senator Tammy Duckworth sent a letter calling on the TSA to reverse the July 8, 2025 decision that allowed travelers to keep shoes on during security screening. Read the Fox News report: Fox News.
Inspector-general finding: A classified DHS inspector-general audit used covert red-team testing and found scanners could not effectively screen shoes, prompting a rare seven-day urgent notice to then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. See the CBS News summary: CBS News.
Legal and oversight concerns: Duckworth says the agency missed a legally required 90-day deadline to outline corrective actions after the watchdog report and called the policy change “a reckless act.” (Fox News: Fox News)
Policy status: Although Secretary Noem has been removed and replaced at DHS, the shoes-on policy remained in effect as of April 2026. Duckworth’s letter is the first public congressional demand to reverse the rule. (CBS News: CBS News)
Background: why shoes-off mattered
The shoes-off requirement traces to the 2001 attempt by Richard Reid, the “shoe bomber,” who tried to detonate explosives hidden in his footwear. That incident prompted global changes in airport screening and a longstanding practice of asking travelers to remove shoes for inspection. For background video context see the background video summary.
Supporters argue removing shoes gives TSA agents and machines a clearer chance to spot hidden items. Critics have pointed to delays and traveler inconvenience. In July 2025, then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ended the shoes-off rule, citing improved imaging and layered screening approaches. That change took effect on July 8, 2025.
What the watchdog found
Covert testing: The DHS inspector general ran red-team tests to evaluate the shoes-on approach. The classified audit reportedly found scanners used at checkpoints could not reliably detect threats concealed in footwear.
“The inspector general issued a rare seven-day urgent notice to the then-secretary, saying corrective action was needed quickly.”
Seven-day letters are reserved for findings that pose immediate risk. Because the report is classified, public summaries are limited, but published accounts show the watchdog considered the vulnerability serious enough to demand rapid corrective steps.
Duckworth’s letter and legal claims
Direct demand: In a letter to Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, Senator Duckworth called the shoes-on decision “a reckless act” that “betrays TSA’s mission” and urged immediate reinstatement of shoes-off screening until scanners can be demonstrated as reliable.
Statutory deadline: Duckworth highlighted that the agency missed a statutory 90-day deadline to outline corrective actions after the inspector general’s report. She warned missed deadlines may carry legal and oversight consequences and described the failure to act as “outrageous, unacceptable and dangerous to the flying public.” (See: CBS News)
Politics, leadership and accountability
Duckworth framed the policy change as a political decision prioritizing convenience or messaging over security, accusing Noem of a “willingness to gamble the American people’s security” and calling it “a stunning failure of leadership.” Although Noem was replaced by Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the shoes-on policy remained in place as of April 2026.
Her letter raises the prospect of Congressional oversight, possible hearings, and pressure for the TSA to provide transparent briefings to lawmakers and the public about the inspector-general findings and corrective steps.
TSA response and transparency issues
TSA and DHS have not publicly reversed the shoes-on policy. Agency statements have emphasized reliance on improved technology and layered security. Critics, including Duckworth, argue that classified reports complicate public debate and that officials should brief Congress in a manner that protects countermeasures while reassuring the traveling public.
Technically, footwear presents detection challenges: shapes, padding and dense materials can mask objects in ways carry-on imaging does not always resolve. The inspector-general’s covert tests suggest current imaging limits remain real and may warrant reinstating physical inspection until technical fixes are proven.
Implications for San Luis Obispo, California
Economic impact: San Luis Obispo County depends on tourism; changes to screening that affect throughput could modestly lengthen security lines at San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP), affecting traveler satisfaction during peak seasons.
Political consequences: The issue may attract bipartisan local attention. County leaders and the airport authority might request briefings from TSA or ask local members of Congress to seek clarity and resources for operational adjustments.
Social effects & practical steps: Reinstating shoes-off could inconvenience frequent flyers but reassure others. Airports should plan signage, staffing and accessibility assistance. Travelers with mobility needs can use TSA Cares or request officer assistance.
What local travelers should know
- Stay informed: Monitor official TSA guidance prior to travel; the agency will post updates on its website and at airports.
- Plan ahead: If shoes-off is reinstated, allow extra time at checkpoints, especially during busy periods.
- Request assistance: Passengers with prosthetics, mobility limitations or medical needs should ask TSA officers for help or enroll in programs like TSA Cares for pre-travel support.
Sources and further reading
- Fox News: “Dem lawmaker calls on TSA to bring back shoes-off airport security policy”
- CBS News: “Senate Democrat demands TSA lift shoes-on policy, citing safety risk”
- Background on shoe-borne threat (video summary)
Bottom line
Senator Duckworth’s demand presses TSA to either prove footwear screening is now reliable or return to the shoes-off requirement to close a vulnerability flagged by the department’s own watchdog. The coming weeks may determine whether security, transparency or convenience carries the day.
