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Long TSA Wait Time As Weekend Travelers Head To Airports; Israel Says It Will "Escalate" Its Strikes On Iran; Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Is Interviewed About Congress Scrambles For Path Forward On DHS Funding Deal. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired March 27, 2026 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[11:00:48]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now breaking news, facing pressure. Right now the Senate's Department of Homeland Security funding bill is with the House of Representatives but Speaker Johnson says some conservatives are pushing him to change it. The continued negotiating is going on as TSA workers are still, still working without any pay.

Plus, Israel vows escalation as President Trump delays his threat to Iran. We're following all the latest developments as this war nears the one month mark.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Pamela Brown is off. You're in The Situation Room.

BLITZER: Happening now, House lawmakers are about to consider a bill to finally pay TSA workers. That deal would also eventually shorten the long lines stretching through U.S. airports. Early this morning the Senate voted unanimously to fund most of the Homeland Security Department including the Transportation Security Agency, the TSA.

It's not clear when these employees will get their first paycheck and all of them want their back pay as well. In the Senate deal meanwhile Democrats successfully demanded that funds for ICE and Border Patrol be withheld to force debate over immigration enforcement reforms. That had been a bitter sticking point.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: Democrats didn't actually want a solution. They wanted an issue. Politics over policy.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: In the wake of the murders of Rene Good and Alex Pretti, Senate Democrats were clear no blank check for a lawless ICE and Border Patrol.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right let's go live right now to CNN's Ed Lavandera. He's over at Bush International -- Intercontinental Airport in Houston. You've been covering, Ed, some of the longest lines in the country this week. What wait times are you seeing there today?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well we're actually experiencing kind of like some of the best wait times we've seen at least in how long these lines are all day. But on average it's been about three to four hours and what is stunning here and this -- the news of this possible resolution to this shutdown and the lack of payment for TSA employees can't come fast enough because the frustration among all of these people that we are talking to in these lines just continues to grow.

And that is something that we just hear repeatedly from people over and over. People will come up to me and say just tell them, by them they mean people in Washington to get this deal done. And the wait times here have continued to be staggering for many people and what strike, what sticks out to me, Wolf, is that how people are coming to these airports seven, eight hours ahead of their scheduled flight time because they don't want to risk missing their flights.

But you know we talked about some of the good news that usually as we've shown you throughout the morning here this area down here is filled with passengers. At the moment it is pretty, obviously you can see we're pretty wide open but that can change pretty quickly and pretty dramatically. It kind of depends on how many of the TSA security lanes are open.

Airport officials have told us here that on at the best moments during the course of this week they've been operating with less than half of the security lanes that are normally open which is causing this backlog of passengers in these long lines. The lines would start down there but you can see that the lines still extend out into -- outside the terminal taking up eight makeshift lanes out there of passengers zigzagging back and forth and that is the spillover from inside of the terminal.

All of those people will eventually make their way back in here Wolf. But you know there people are just simply frustrated. We hear over and over, again, people's like just pay the TSA agents and make all of this end. Wolf?

BLITZER: I see the current delay over at the Houston Airport where you are it says up on the screen 150 minutes or so which is obviously better than three or four hours or whatever. Has there been any improvement in the wait times as a result of the introduction of the ICE agents there?

[11:05:02]

LAVANDERA: Not really. You know they started showing up here earlier this week. Most of the ICE agents we can kind of show you. There's a handful of them just beyond the folks here at the security line around the gate. They've kind of been in positions like this kind of on the on the periphery. We have seen some federal agents working the I.D. check area and almost like they're shadowing or being trained by TSA employees.

And, but again we've been told that that could take days to get them fully trained and up to speed on being able to handle that. But the hope was is that that would be able to alleviate the pressure on the TSA employees here and be able to open up more lanes which would of course get more passengers through more quickly. But the question is will they be able to get enough of those federal agents up to speed in time to really make a difference or if there's a resolution to all of this, will it all be a moot point?

BLITZER: All right, Ed Lavandera in Houston at the airport there. Thank you very, very much.

Other important news happening now. Israel vowing to escalate its military campaign on Iran after the two countries exchanged missile attacks overnight. Here is this morning's aftermath of a strike in northern Israel and attack authorities their blame on Hezbollah, a Lebanon based Iranian proxy.

And these destroyed buildings are in Tehran, one of several Iranian cities struck overnight. Iran's Red Crescent says the death toll in the country since the start of the war is now almost 2,000 people.

CNN's chief national security analyst Jim Sciutto, is in Tel Aviv for us right now. What can you tell us, Jim, about Israel's new warning today of increased attacks on Iran?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR & CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, I think it's a sign, Wolf, that even as President Trump considers continuing the negotiations with Iran or at least the indirect talks with Iran and has now pushed back for a second time his deadline for expanding U.S. attacks to energy infrastructure in Iran, that Israel is in fact expanding its attacks on Iran and no talk here of holding back.

And that was quite clear listening to Israel Katz, the defense minister, earlier today. Here's how he made the case for these strikes.

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ISRAEL KATZ, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I warned the Iranian terror regime to stop the missile fire directed at Israel's civilian population. Despite the warnings, the firing has continued and therefore IDF strikes in Iran will escalate and expand to additional targets in areas that assist the regime in building and operating weapons used against Israeli civilians. They will pay heavy and increasing prices for this war crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: And, Wolf, there have been some signals here in Israel, and you and I have talked about this in the last 24 hours, that Israel is expanding those strikes in part to do as much damage as possible to Iranian capabilities, particularly their missile capabilities, prior to any potential ceasefire. And again, you know, we're a long way off from that becoming a reality at this point, but there's at least discussion of it right up to the President of the United States. And Israel wants to weaken Iran even further. They believe they've weakened them significantly, but taking this opportunity to expand those strikes and to deplete, further deplete, Iranian missile and other capabilities before any possible pause in the fighting.

BLITZER: And warning sirens, I take it, Jim, have been going off where you are in Tel Aviv and central Israel all day today?

SCIUTTO: They have. You know, we had a brief reprieve overnight. Welcome. You know, it's nice to sleep through the night without an air raid signal. Yesterday was really one of the busiest days of the war. But this afternoon, late morning this afternoon, there have been more. You hear the interceptions.

That means that the multiple layers of Israeli air and missile defense are largely able to take down, take down that incoming fire. But it does require going into those shelters. And you see the people of Tel Aviv doing that.

In the north, because of the nature of fire coming from Hezbollah, in addition to artillery drones and just a shorter range, it's harder for Israel's defenses to pick up all of those. So you have seen more damage in the north in recent days than you've seen here.

BLITZER: All right, Jim Sciutto stay safe over there. Thank you very, very much.

Still ahead, President Trump's Justice Department is still pushing to investigate his 2020 election defeat, even seizing voting records in Georgia. We have new reporting just coming in. We'll share it with you right after the break.

And later, we're talking with one of the more than 60,000 TSA workers missing yet another paycheck today. They still have plenty of questions and concerns about what happens next, despite the U.S. Senate passing a funding bill that's now before the House of Representatives.

[11:10:05]

Stay with us. You're in The Situation Room.

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BLITZER: Happening now, a major legal test for the Trump administration and its investigation into the disproven claims of widespread voter fraud in Georgia. Officials in Fulton County are in federal court arguing for the return of hundreds of boxes of ballots from the 2020 election seized earlier this year. And we just learned that attorneys for Fulton County are emphasizing in court that the stakes for the midterms and the next presidential elections are high.

[11:15:15]

Let's discuss this and more with the former U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, Michael Moore. Fulton County officials, Michael, argue the FBI intentionally or recklessly omitted material facts about discrepancies in the 2020 election to secure a search warrant. In your view, do these officials have a legitimate case here?

MICHAEL MOORE, PARTNER, MOORE HALL: Yes, well, I'm glad to be with you, Wolf. I do think they have the right and a legitimate reason to file their motion to get into the courtroom, which is what all they've done. And the criminal process allows somebody who's had their property taken what they believe unlawfully to petition a judge to have a hearing and actually collect some evidence on that, doesn't mean that everything is just dropped or everything stops.

But the judge then has certain options, whether it is to recover the property, give it back to the person for payment was taken in this case, Fulton County or whether you know, in this instance, it may we may very well see a third party appointed to oversee this evidence. But they do certainly have when you look at the scant evidence in the affidavit for the search warrant and the facts on which the government is basing the search warrant.

Fulton County certainly has a right to object that this is just a rehashing of previously investigated claims on alleged crimes for which the time period is already even run. So this this really is something that I think the court will take interest in.

BLITZER: As you know, Michael, a judge has ruled that the FBI agent behind that controversial warrant will not have to testify in today's hearing, saying testimony could reveal, "Process and scope of the Department of Justice's investigation." How big of a win potentially is that for the federal government?

MOORE: Yes, I don't I don't think either side really needs to see it as a win or a loss. And the reason is that the judges historically protect law enforcement operations, law enforcement investigations. And so to have at this stage of a criminal process to have a law enforcement officer come in and have to lay out essentially their case where it could in fact reveal investigative details, sources and methods, that type of thing.

Judges typically do not allow it in this type of proceeding. So I don't think you know, either side ought to take great comfort in there. The trick is going to be and I think what the judge is saying is I don't need that law enforcement officer anyway, because I've got to sit here and sort of thread the needle on this particular case, recognizing and I'm sure the court does, recognizing how my ruling might affect, you know, upcoming arguments which are certain to be made as we get closer and certainly into the midterms and following the midterms.

You know, we can expect that we'll have challenges and the court doesn't want to write an order that want to issue a ruling that won't set a precedent, which can then become sort of a hammer to be used by one side of the other, you know, based on the facts of just this particular circumstance.

BLITZER: Yes. So potentially the stakes of this legal proceeding could be very significant. Michael Moore, thank you very, very much for your expertise.

[11:18:19]

And up next, the U.S. House is now on the clock after the Senate passed a deal to get TSA workers finally paid. But that bill is still facing an uphill climb in the House. We'll speak with Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman about where he stands on the legislation. That's next.

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BLITZER: Happening now, air travelers facing massive security lines at airports across the country as TSA workers continue to call out in droves or have simply quit their job because they are not being paid during the Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Right now, the wait time at Houston's Bush Airport is two and a half hours and the employees not calling out are working without getting paid. TSA says today marks nearly $1 billion in miss pay for employees.

I spoke with one of the TSA agents about this during the last hour. Here's what she told me. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACHEL, TSA OFFICER: So it's gotten to the point I can't afford daycare. So I'm essentially passing my baby around like a hot potato to whatever friends can watch her for free. It's stressful. I've had to call out on days that I couldn't afford gas, daycare and the $450 in utility bills that I have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Some people are also taking to social media to talk about their experiences working during this partial government shutdown. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACKSON OLIVER, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY OFFICER: So I just finished my 12 hour shift at TSA. So now we're at 4:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and still not getting paid for it. Fun stuff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: I'm now joined by the man in that video, the transportation security officer, Jackson Oliver. Jackson, thanks so much for joining us. Tell us a little bit more about your experience right now. How are you and your colleagues making it work financially?

OLIVER: Yes, thanks for having me, Wolf. It's been a stretch for a lot of us. Many people are having to delay payments. I'm just like that last example that you showed on the show. And for myself, I'm in school as well, trying to pay for it. And so my wife, she's having to shoulder more of the load. And that's a lot on our family.

[11:25:15] BLITZER: At what point did you realize you needed a second job?

OLIVER: Yes, I actually got my second job after the first shutdown that happens last fall. Fortunately, I was able to make things happen with my scheduling. But even then, you know, trying to manage full time schooling. I'm doing flight training right now, locally. And so, again, it's just a lot of juggling, a lot of rearranging those payments that are due in our day to day lives.

BLITZER: So Jackson, what's it like being a TSA worker right now?

OLIVER: Yes, it's been tiring. But luckily, we've been getting a lot of public support. So we appreciate everybody who's flown in the last several weeks and for the continued thanks and gratitude. It goes a long way for us, especially when it comes to morale. So we're just trying to keep our sights on the light at the end of the tunnel as we keep on hearing about what's coming out with Congress.

BLITZER: As you know, Jackson, previous government shutdowns have forced workers to go without pay. Does this time seem any different?

OLIVER: I think people are more prepared this time, for sure, in terms of the resources that are available through our union. That has been very helpful, as well as donations of gas cards and gift cards. These things are really helping folks get through the day to day operations.

And again, a lot of people I know they've picked up other jobs as I have. So hopefully again, this won't be a recurrent thing going forward, because you can only take so much of it when you're working every day with all the passengers that need to get to where they need to go.

BLITZER: So what's your bottom line message right now to U.S. lawmakers here in Washington?

OLIVER: The same thing I said in the video Wolf again, it's time to come together and figure something out because it's affecting us heavily. There's a lot of us here, and unfortunately, people are having to quit because it's just not sustainable. So the bottom line message is figure out a plan and know that this is something that everybody wants. Everybody needs to travel for those who are able to. So hopefully they can make that a bipartisan priority.

BLITZER: Have you ever thought, Jackson, about not being a TSA officer?

OLIVER: Absolutely. I've had I've submitted plenty of job applications elsewhere. Again, I'm heavily invested in the aviation industry because of my flight training currently. So it's been a lot of back and forth in terms of deciding to do it or not. But hopefully me staying is another testament that we do see purpose in what we do. I certainly do. I'm not just here for a paycheck, so I don't want to go down without a fight per se.

BLITZER: All right, Jackson Oliver, good luck to you. Good luck to all your friends and colleagues over there. Appreciate what you're doing very, very much.

OLIVER: Thank you, Wolf. Appreciate it.

BLITZER: And for more on this story, I want to bring in Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman of Indiana. He serves on the House Budget Committee. Congressman, thanks so much for joining us on this busy day. What's your position on this legislation to try to fund the Department of Homeland Security, except for ICE and Border Patrol, both of which are already funded pretty much thanks to that Big, Beautiful Bill that passed not that long ago. Do you plan on supporting what the Senate has just done?

REP. MARLIN STUTZMAN (R-IN): Great to be with you, Wolf. Thanks for having me. You know, it feels a little bit like a nothing burger after three weeks of all these negotiations. And I feel like, you know, we could have moved past this a long time ago. And just like your former guest was sharing his frustrations that he wasn't getting paid and, you know, still serving the American people, that this is a point we shouldn't be at.

We'll see what happens when it comes to the floor. We're supposed to have a conversation here as a conference here in about an hour or so. And we'll find out from Speaker Johnson and from the House leadership, you know, what their plan is. I'm sure they're having conversations with the White House right now to make sure that we're all on the same page.

But my, you know, from the conversations I was hearing on the House floor a little bit ago while were voting is that there's just a lot of members like we could have done more. We could have, you know, gone a little bit further. And I feel like this is really deflating here at the end when, you know, a lot of Americans are put up with so much frustration and chaos when they didn't need to. And this is the Senate product. And so we'll see what happens here in about an hour.