A Democratic senator has called on the Department of Homeland Security to re-introduce the controversial “shoes off” rule for travelers at airports – branding the decision to ditch it as “reckless and dangerous.”
Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) blasted former Secretary Kristi Noem, who announced last July the policy had been abandoned almost 20 years after it was first rolled out at US airports.
“Secretary Noem’s decision to implement a shoes on policy on July 8, 2025, likely without meaningful consultation with TSA [Transportation Security Administration], was a reckless act,” she wrote in the letter addressed to its acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, seen by CBS News.
Duckworth issued the blistering warning – just months after an investigation by DHS’ internal watchdog found scanners could not screen shoes effectively.
“Allowing a potentially catastrophic security deficiency to remain in place for seven months and counting betrays TSA’s mission,” the lawmaker blasted.
“At a minimum, TSA’s failure to swiftly implement corrective action warrants the immediate withdrawal of Secretary Noem’s reckless and dangerous policy that increases the risk of a terrorist smuggling a dangerous item onto a flight.”
“Noem’s policy move had inadvertently created a new security vulnerability in the system,” Duckworth said.
The policy, which had been in place since 2006, was ditched just months before millions of tourists are expected to flock to the US for America 250 celebrations and the World Cup.
Noem said officials were confident high security standards could still be maintained — even without the policy remaining in place.
“We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,” she said.
“As always, security remains our top priority. Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards.”
Travelers between the ages of 12 and 75 were ordered to remove their shoes ahead of scanning, but those who opted into TSA’s Precheck Trusted Traveler program were allowed to keep their footwear on.
The widely-detested shoes off rule came into force after “Shoe bomber” Richard Reid tried to detonate explosives on a Dec. 22 2001 American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.
The plot failed and FBI bomb tech investigators found that around 10 ounces of explosives were packed into his footwear.
Reid pleaded guilty to eight terror-related charges on Oct. 4 2002 and he was sentenced to life in a federal lockup.
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