SFO's private TSA screening program made it immune to shutdown. It could expand.

TSA rolled out TSA Gold+, an extension of the existing Screening Partnership Program model used at San Francisco International Airport since 2002. The program allows private contractors to manage transportation security officers and the technology used to screen passengers. TSA said the rollout will enable closer collaboration with the private sector, drive innovation and investment, and strengthen resilience of TSA operations. Currently, 20 airports use private contractors for TSA screening, but SFO is the only major airport that has adopted the program. SFO’s private contract helped avoid delays during two government shutdowns when staffing shortages caused long passenger lines and agent resignations. Republican lawmakers have pursued similar privatization proposals, and TSA leadership has indicated interest in further privatization to prevent funding lapses.

"The agency sent an internal memo on May 14 to all employees announcing the rollout of TSA Gold+, former TSA agent Caleb Harmon-Marshall shared in his newsletter. TSA said the program is an "extension of the existing Screening Partnership Program (SPP) model," allowing private contractors to manage both the employees, known as transportation security officers, and the technology that screens passengers. The administration has since launched a public-facing website with the details."

""The launch of TSA Gold+ will enable closer collaboration with the private sector, drive greater innovation and investment, and strengthen the resilience of TSA operations," the agency said in the memo. Currently, 20 airports use private contractors for TSA screening. However, SFO is the only major airport that has adopted the program."

"The private contract left the airport immune to any delays during the last two government shutdowns, when staffing shortagesleft passengers waiting in line to be screened for several hours and a collective 2,100 agents ultimately quit. Republican lawmakers expressed interest in privatizing airport security last year. In March 2025, Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama introduced legislation similar to the TSA Gold+ program that sought to transfer TSA's aviation security operations and equipment "to qualified private companies.""

"At a hearing last month, TSA Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said the agency was looking into further privatization to avoid future funding lapses. "As of today, TSA has been shut down for 109 days, nearly 60 percent of FY26," McNeill told the House Homeland Secur"

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