Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned Friday that “people will see lines” at airports over Memorial Day weekend, but added that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is “ready” for the resurgence of travel.
In an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Mayorkas said the TSA, which falls under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is “very excited about the reemergence of travel” and the “chance for Americans to reunite with family and friends whom they haven’t seen for some time” due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“TSA is ready,” he added. “We have really focused on a hiring surge so we’re ready for the reemergence of travel, summer travel and, of course, the Memorial Day travel.”
Mayorkas said that “people will see lines, because there’s going to be a tremendous amount of people traveling this weekend,” adding that “patience is required” from travelers.
“This is a partnership between TSA and the people we serve,” the secretary told co-host Michael Strahan.
Mayorkas during the interview also said that the Biden administration is “taking a very close look” at the potential for vaccine passports for international travel as more people look to resume pre-pandemic activities post-vaccination.
“We’re taking a very close look at that. You know, one of our principles that has guided us throughout this pandemic is the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and making sure that any passport that we provide for vaccinations is accessible to all and that no one is disenfranchised,” the secretary said.
“There’s an underlying point here, of course, which is everyone should get vaccinated.”
A DHS spokesperson later clarified to The Hill that a vaccine passport would only be used to help meet travel requirements for other countries, adding that there would be “no federal vaccinations database and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential.”
This comes as a new PwC survey released Friday showed that about 70 percent of Americans supported a vaccine verification system while traveling by plane or staying in a hotel.
Mayorkas earlier this week told reporters that the Biden administration is encouraging Americans to return to travel once it is safe for them to do so.
“We can’t overstate the importance of resuming travel of all types, business travel, international travel,” he said Tuesday.
“At the same time, we have a responsibility to ensure public safety. We are following the facts, the data, the science, in making the decision as to when business international travel actually can resume,” he added.
Travel prices have soared as millions of Americans are expected to travel over Memorial Day weekend, with the cost of airfares, car rentals and Airbnb bookings all rising significantly, and gas prices at their highest levels since 2014.