NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stopped by the Nashville International Airport on Thursday to announce new changes to the way we go through security.
This comes as TSA confirms 8 of the top 10 travel days in history have happened this year.
Secretary Noem first put forth an honor lane that will speed up the security process for military members and their families. It's active at 11 airports so far, including BNA.
"We recently announced that this program called 'serve with honor and travel with ease' will be utilized at airports, starting with those that are closest to our military installations, where it will allow uniformed officers, uniformed military members, to have their own lane that they can go through for expedited processing and ease of travel," she explained.
Among other benefits for military families, Noem laid out discounts for TSA pre-check.
She also announced the arrival of specific family lanes. This way, parents and children have the space and time to get through.
These changes come just weeks after she paused the TSA mandate to take your shoes off.
"The next ones that we'll be evaluating is what it requires for the liquids, for removing electronics, all those," Secretary Noem said. "My goal would be that some day, somebody would be able to walk into an airport, walk through a scanner and go right to their airplane."
Beyond TSA policy changes, Noem took time to address other pressing concerns, including TSA training, FEMA funding, and recent ICE arrests — something that continues to be a hot-button issue.
"One of the things I would say is, if we wait to deport you, then you will never get a chance to come back to America," Noem said during an exchange with a reporter. "So my hope is that many people will do it the right way."
Just before Thursday's press conference, Democratic Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones showed up but was quickly asked to leave by Noem's team.
He said he came to ask Secretary Noem directly about recent ICE raids, including what happened to undocumented migrants taken into custody.
"I'm here to support veterans, and I want to get answers for my constituents who have been harassed and brutalized by ICE. Where are the people of my district?" he asked.
Noem plans to address the ICE arrests further at a news conference tomorrow.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
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