Senator Demands Reversal of TSA 'Shoes On' Policy Following OIG Security Findings

Senator Tammy Duckworth has written to Senior Official Performing the Duties of TSA Administrator Nguyen McNeil demanding an immediate reversal of the TSA's 'shoes on' security screening policy. The policy was implemented by former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in July 2025. The demand follows a DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) covert testing audit which found that TSA Advanced Imaging Technology full-body scanners 'can’t scan shoes,' potentially allowing threat items to be smuggled onto aircraft. The OIG issued a Seven-Day Letter in August 2025 highlighting this significant finding. Despite the policy remaining in effect, the OIG noted that the TSA failed to provide a Management Decision with corrective actions within the required 90-day window. The article references the original 'Shoe Bomber' incident from 2001 as the origin of the shoes-off requirement