Witnesses tell Homeland Security panel U.S. must modernize visa processing, TSA technology and staffing before 2026 World Cup
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Summary
Industry and trade witnesses told the House Homeland Security subcommittee that long visa waits, aging screening technology, and diverted passenger security fees threaten the U.S. ability to handle millions of international visitors for the 2026 World Cup and other upcoming events.
Chairman Jimenez opened a House Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing saying the panel would “assess the current state of US travel security and infrastructure,” and witnesses told members the country must move quickly to upgrade visa processing, airport screening and customs before the 2026 FIFA World Cup and other major events.
Jeff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said the travel industry is a major economic engine and warned that long visa waits and outdated airport technology are deterring visitors. “Travel is a vital economic engine, contributing nearly $3,000,000,000,000 annually and supporting more than 15,000,000 jobs,” Freeman said. He told the committee the U.S. finished seventeenth out of 18 peer countries in a travel facilitation ranking his group commissioned, and that the country risks losing market share unless it modernizes systems and staffing.
The witnesses told members that three linked problems threaten readiness: visa appointment backlogs in some countries, slow international arrival processing at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) locations, and old screening technology at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. Freeman recommended a national vetting service for visa processing, extended visa validity for vetted travelers, and moving passenger security-fee receipts back to TSA to fund technology and staffing. “None of that money should be diverted,” Freeman said regarding the passenger security fee.
Members cited examples and data during questioning. Witnesses and members discussed visa interview waits exceeding 500 days in locations such as Colombia and parts of India, long CBP arrival waits in major airports, and projected spikes in passenger volumes during short periods around event dates. Freeman noted that some U.S. airports screened more than 3,000,000 travelers on multiple single days last year and projected by 2028 that the U.S. could have roughly 100 days per year at that volume.
Committee members asked whether current technology could reduce covert-test failure rates and speed processing. Freeman said identity verification and biometrics have improved but that baggage and on-person screening still need major upgrades and that full implementation of needed technology should not be decades away. “We believe it’s reasonable that all of these reforms can take place within the next 5 years,” he told the panel.
Witnesses and members also raised concerns about messaging and incidents that may discourage visitors. Ranking Member MacIver and other Democrats described recent detentions of foreign visitors and said some countries have issued travel guidance warning citizens about U.S. entry procedures; witnesses said media coverage of individual incidents has created uncertainty that federal agencies should clarify with data.
The subcommittee did not take a formal vote. Members asked witnesses to respond in writing to follow-up questions and left the hearing record open for 10 days.