Nearly 20-year shoe-off airport security policy is ended by Trump administration
Sec. Noem announced the end to the nearly 20-year policy while at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., in a press conference late Tuesday afternoon.
"In those 20 years since that policy was put in place, our security technology has changed dramatically. It's evolved. TSA has changed," she said at the presser.
"We have a multi-layered, whole-of-government approach now to security and to the environment that people anticipate and experience when they come into an airport that has been honed and it's been hardened," said Noem.
She added, "We took a hard look at how TSA does its business, how it does its screening processes, and what we do to make people safe, but also provide some hospitality as well."
Some passengers may still be subject to a search of their shoes.
Noem said the removals of liquids, coats and belts are also being evaluated.
The change comes as the U.S. prepares to streamline large events taking place across the country, such as the America250 events, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup matches.
"We are very confident that we can continue to provide hospitality to folks, and for American travelers and for those visiting our country, while maintaining the same standard of security for passengers and for our homeland," she said.
"The key to our approach is layered security. Passengers will still pass through multiple layers of screening."
TSA PreCheck and partners CLEAR, IDEMIA and Telos have kept passengers from taking their shoes off in security for a number of years — but the latest change would impact everyone traveling through the main security line.
Noem also cited the "fantastic success" of the implementation of REAL ID.
"I'd encourage all Americans to still go out there if you don't have your real ID yet. It does, help us identify who you are and keep passengers safe."
This change comes as the Trump administration's TSA looks to alleviate some of the hassles of travel, and just last week began rolling out a new security lane exclusively for active-duty service members.
Preston Mizell of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
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