# TSA at 25: from screening line to intelligence agency

> A quarter century after 9/11, the agency built in the attack's wake says the threats it faces now look nothing like the ones it was created to stop.
- Title: TSA at 25: from screening line to intelligence agency
- Summary: A quarter century after 9/11, the agency built in the attack's wake says the threats it faces now look nothing like the ones it was created to stop. TSA's…
- Keywords: tsa, 9/11, aviation security, transportation, government, news, local, screening, line, intelligence, agency, Valleynewslive
- Source: Valleynewslive — https://valleynewslive.com/2026/09/12/25-years-after-911-attacks-tsa-reflects-mission-protect-stay-ahead-threats
- Published: 2026-09-12T00:05:45.668+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tsa, 9/11, aviation security, transportation, government, news, local
## Twenty-five years on
TSA marked 25 years since the September 11 attacks on Friday, honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed and pledging to keep the country's transportation systems safe.
## Born from the attacks
The agency did not exist before 9/11. President George W. Bush signed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act on Nov. 19, 2001, and TSA was created.
## The mission never moved
Since 2001 the stated purpose has stayed identical: protect the nation's transportation systems so people and commerce can move freely.
## Threats got smarter
Administrator David P. Cummins said today's threats are sophisticated and always shifting, and pointed to the new Horizon 25 Strategy as the agency's answer.

> The threats we face today are sophisticated and constantly evolving. TSA must modernize to defend against those threats.
## Screening became intelligence
What started as a federal screening workforce now runs on intelligence analysis, passenger vetting, canine teams, air marshals, and facial recognition imaging.
## Beyond the airport
TSA's roughly 60,000 employees also cover railways, ports, pipelines and major events, while PreCheck speeds travelers through the line.
## Key takeaway

TSA's job never changed, but the toolkit did: screening is now intelligence work, and the agency is betting its next 25 years on modernizing faster than the threats.