The United States | TSA has Eliminated Removing Shoes at U.S. Airport Security

Travellers in the United States will no longer have to take off their shoes during airport security checks as TSA, the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. government agency responsible for security in country's transportation system has eliminated removing shoes at U.S. Airport Security.

On 8th July 2025, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that travellers no longer will need to remove their shoes when going through going through airport security, a move which takes effect immediately and nationwide, following the positive results of a pilot program.

The Secretary said that it will be a much more agile process, most Americans will be very happy to be able to keep their shoes on, however she clarified that in some cases TSA agents will still be able to ask passengers to remove them if additional lavers of screening are deemed necessary.

The footwear recall policy was implemented in reaction to the event linked to Richard Reid, known as the "Shoe Bomber", a British terrorist who attempted to detenotate explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami on 22nd December 2001. The attempt failed due to the struggle to ignite explosives and the quick actions of crew members and passengers. The flight was diverted to Boston, and Reid was taken into custody.

Since the implemention of the policy all passengers between the ages of 12 and 75 were required to remove their shoes, unless they were part of the TSA PreCheck program, a paid service that allows them to avoid certain checkpoints, such as removing shoes, belts and removing laptops from luggage.

While the new policy now applies all travellers, TSA PreCheck will continue to offer a faster experience, as passengers are still required to place other items such as laptops, jackets and toiletries on the treadmill to be scanned under standard procedures.

The Department of Homeland Security Secretary also announced that the TSA is reviewing other policies with the goal of further simplifying and streamlining the security process at airports. Dedicated lanes for military personnel and families with young children will be tested in the coming months, with more innovations expected within six to eight months.

In recent years, the TSA. agency  created in 2001, after the September 11 attacks, and represented a radical change in security controls by replacing private contractors with federal agents has incorporated facial recognition technology, implemented Real ID requirements, and deployed advanced scanning equipment as part of its modernization efforts. These initiatives seek to improve safety while reducing friction in the passenger experience.

The recent modification responds to a wave of public criticism, promoted earlier this year by the former Secretary of Transportation under the Donald Trump administration, Sean Duffy, who called the TSA the "number one travel complaint" on social networks. Shortly after Trump fired TSA Administrator David Pekoske, who had been confirmed in the position bt President Joe Biden. According to the agency's website, the position remains vacant.

So far, this measure has only been implemented in the United States of America. While some countries have shown interest in adopting more agile approaches to airport security, no other has officially announced the removal of the requirement to remove shoes.

Link 
https://infoturlatam.com/tsa-elimina-quitarse-zapatos-en-seguridad-de-aeropuertos-de-ee-uu/