Reviving the Shoe Removal Rule at Airports: A Senator's Call to Action

Reviving the Shoe Removal Rule at Airports: A Senator's Call to Action

Senator Tammy Duckworth has urged the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to reinstate the shoe removal policy during airport security checks, arguing that the current approach is reckless and poses a danger. The critical question arises: if there are any vulnerabilities, no matter how minor, they must be addressed immediately.

While this reaction is understandable, it may not fully reflect the reality on the ground. In fact, just last year, the TSA quietly eliminated one of the least popular regulations established after the 9/11 attacks: the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes at security checkpoints.

As usual, travelers welcomed this change with open arms. However, lawmakers are now pushing to bring back the old policy.

Senator Duckworth's Letter

In a letter addressed to Nguyen McNeil, a senior TSA official, Senator Duckworth called for the immediate rescission of the shoe removal policy implemented by former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She emphasized concerning reports indicating that secret testing during a performance audit revealed serious flaws that could jeopardize passenger safety.

The TSA's shoe removal policy was first introduced after the December 2001 attack by terrorist Richard Reid, who attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes. Had he succeeded, it could have led to the crash of the aircraft and the loss of all 197 lives on board.

Alarming Findings

On July 8, 2025, Secretary Noem decided to enforce the shoe removal rule without adequately consulting TSA's insights, a decision that many consider reckless. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) conducted secret tests and found that some of TSA's modern full-body scanners "could not scan shoes," leading to the conclusion that Noem's decision inadvertently created a new security gap in the system.

When investigators assessed the effectiveness of TSA's security checks in preventing dangerous items from being brought on board, they identified a significant issue that compelled Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to notify Noem within just seven days about findings that required immediate action.

Delay in Action

Noem's failure to direct DHS to engage with the DHS OIG regarding the content of the letter is unacceptable and endangers passengers. The shoe removal policy remains in effect, despite President Donald Trump publicly firing Noem on March 5, 2026.

It is unclear whether DHS and TSA have taken any steps to address the serious findings from the secret tests. This lack of action violates federal law and DHS directives that require TSA to provide management decisions with corrective actions promptly after receiving the final report from OIG.

What Went Wrong?

While testifying before Congress, you swore that you had read the final report from DHS OIG and agreed with its findings. However, it appears that TSA not only failed to submit a management decision within the 90-day timeframe but also neglected to meet other critical requirements.

The prolonged delay in addressing the security loophole could lead to serious risks. At the very least, this delay indicates that Noem's shoe removal policy needs to be rescinded immediately.

The Security Risk Issue

The question isn't whether there is a risk, but whether requiring millions of passengers to remove their shoes genuinely mitigates that risk. After nearly a year of implementing the new policy, the answer is a resounding no. Reviving the shoe removal regulation would only slow down the screening process further, causing frustration without enhancing effectiveness.

Do you agree with reinstating the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes before passing through airport security checkpoints in the U.S.?