Staffing shortages for air traffic controllers accounted for about 5% of flight delays before the shutdown. It now accounts for about 53% of delays.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 which carried an almost fatal accident on the Southwest Airlines Flight WN425, bound toward Columbus and Tampa, has caused a heavy squee back into the frightening debate surrounding aviation security and supervision in the United States.

With around 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA agents working without pay, airports from Los Angeles to Chicago are beginning to feel pressure from staffing gaps.

Fifteen days after the federal government shutdown began, Miami International Airport had so far escaped any impact, Aviation Director Ralph Cutié said last week while warning that during a longer shutdown impacts would surely come.

Crime crackdown: The president touted a federal court’s ruling that clears the way for his administration to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, saying demonstrations in the city are “like an insurrection,” despite reports to the contrary. Oregon, with Portland, is pushing for an appeals court to reconsider the ruling.

Federal workers are feeling the effects of the government shutdown, which is approaching its fourth week. Ahead of the shutdown, President Donald Trump warned of possible layoffs. Now, hundreds of employees have been furloughed or laid off as it continues.

Roughly one million federal employees are estimated to be going without pay during the shutdown. Now, many are expecting to miss the first full paycheck since the shutdown began.

A ground stop was issued at Chicago O'Hare Airport due to an equipment outage late Saturday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration's website said.