Sen. Mike Lee is calling for the dismantling of the Transportation Security Administration, saying Americans deserve “less groping” at airports.

Mr. Lee, Utah Republican, criticized the TSA‘s security procedures, asserting that private airlines would be more than capable of securing their aircraft without federal oversight. He said this change could lead to more efficient and constitutionally respectful security practices.

“Airlines can and will secure their own planes if a federal agency doesn’t do it for them. They’ll do it better than TSA, without undermining the Constitution and with less groping—showing more respect for passengers,” Mr. Lee wrote on X.

The senator’s call to abolish the TSA — a federal agency established under the Department of Homeland Security — has stirred dialogues among policymakers, security experts, and the public, opening the floor to a broader conversation on the future of aviation security and the role of government agencies in safeguarding citizens.

Conservative radio host Clay Travis (who took Rush Limbaugh’s spot on Premiere Networks) replied to Mr. Lee‘s X post, “Love this idea.” Cari Kelemen, author of Consider Homeschooling, agreed and suggested: “Abolish the entire Patriot Act while you’re at it.”

After Mr. Lee‘s initial post, which was shared by more than 3,000 accounts, the lawmaker added: “While I’m on the subject of TSA abuses, I’m filing a bill to stop TSA from accepting the easily manipulated CBPOne app as valid identification. No federal agency should help traffic illegal aliens into and around the United States. The fact that TSA is doing so is a bad joke.”

Migrants have used the phone app tens of millions of times to apply for appointments to be processed by U.S. immigration authorities at an official border crossing, CBS News reported.

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