WISCONSIN — At least 16 firearms were stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in 2024.
That’s a decrease from 2023, when 19 guns were stopped, and an even larger decrease from 2021, when 23 guns were recovered. The 2024 numbers in Milwaukee translate to a rate of 4.5 firearms discovered per million passengers.
Around Wisconsin, TSA officers continued to find guns at airport checkpoints. Appleton International Airport recovered three guns, Green Bay Austin Straubel Field found one, Dane County Regional stopped six and Central Wisconsin Airport found three. LaCrosse Regional found none.
“Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is a careless, dangerous mistake that can be easily avoided,” Wisconsin TSA Federal Security Director Mark Lendvay said. “When individuals bring firearms to our checkpoints, they are introducing a risk to everyone in the area. These incidents also slow down the checkpoint screening process for other travelers because when a firearm is detected, all activity in the lane comes to a complete halt until police arrive. Unloaded firearms can be packed with checked baggage and declared to the airline.”
Nationally, TSA stopped an average of 18 firearms per day at checkpoints in 2024, with a total of 6,678 guns recovered. This translates to one firearm for every 135,383 travelers screened. The 2024 total is down from 6,737 firearms in 2023.
Passengers who bring firearms to a checkpoint may face arrest or citation from a local law enforcement officer. They are also fined by TSA with a civil penalty up to $15,000 and their TSA PreCheck eligibility is revoked for at least five years. TSA may also conduct enhanced screening to check for further threats.
Officials said passengers can travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed in a locked hardback case separate from ammunition and declared at airline check in. Be sure to check your local laws for any other restrictions.