Airport Alert: TSA Deputy Administrator McNeill Departing

August 12, 2026

Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill announced that she will be departing from the Transportation Security Administration on September 3. McNeill was appointed as the TSA Deputy Administrator in April 2025 and immediately began serving as the Acting TSA Administrator until David Cummins was confirmed to that position by the U.S. Senate last week.

During her tenure, McNeill had to navigate the agency through two lengthy shutdowns, which severely impacted employee attrition rates and morale; ensure the successful rollout of Real ID at airport checkpoints; help modernize checkpoint operations by permitting travelers to keep their shoes on and expand the use of touchless biometric verification technologies; and ensure the secure and efficient movement of travelers nationwide during the FIFA World Cup games.

McNeill plans to return to the private sector but has not provided specific details. Before joining TSA in 2025, McNeill worked for Pangiam and Big Bear, companies that provide artificial intelligence and biometric facial recognition tools for national security, travel, and global trade.