Updated 3/4/13 3:45PM

In response to an inquiry from KABC News, the TSA responded that while there may be incidents now of faster-than-usual securtiy checks, whoa, don't expect that to last. The TSA tells KABC:

Please attribute to TSA written statement.

“As sequestration takes effect, travelers can expect to see lines and wait times increase as reductions to overtime and the inability to backfill positions for attrition begin to occur this month. While wait times can vary on a number of factors, due to the reductions mandated by sequestration, TSA will put in place a hiring freeze, which will result in up to an additional 1,000 TSO vacancies by Memorial Day Weekend and up to 2,600 vacancies by the end of the fiscal year. With TSA staffing levels decreasing over time, we expect that during busy travel periods wait times exceeding 30-40 minute could double at nearly all of the largest airports. In addition, passengers who schedule their travel outside of peak flight schedules and plan to arrive close to their scheduled flight time may see their wait times now reach 30 minutes or more.”
 

(WASHINGTON) -- Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says that, although safety is her top priority, there is no way around cutting back on border patrol agents monitoring the country's borders because of the across-the-board spending cuts, known as "the sequester," that went into effect over the weekend.

"The number of border patrol hours that will need to be reduced equates to the equivalent of 5,000 border patrol agents, so we have fewer border patrol agents between the ports of entry," Napolitano told ABC's senior national correspondent Jim Avila in an exclusive interview.  "We're going to do everything we can to minimize that impact on our nation's security, but that's just the plain fact of it."

When asked about the Department of Homeland Security's controversial decision to begin releasing illegal immigrants from jails across the country last week in preparation for sequestration, Napolitano said she was not involved in making the decision.

"The decision was made by the people who operate this program that certain low level detainees could be put in an alternative to detention.  They're not released.  Some are wearing ankle bracelets.  Some have to report repeatedly into an office and the like," she said, going on to add that she would have preferred the changes to have been made more gradually.

Despite the secretary's concern about the impact of sequestration on border security, she said the country's border with Mexico has never been stronger and said the time for comprehensive immigration reform is now.

"We need to bring the 10 million to 11 million who are here out of the shadows so that, we know who they are, we have their biometrics, and we're better able to then focus on narco-traffickers, and human smugglers, and transnational criminal operations, the big law enforcement needs that we have," said Napolitano.

She said there also needs to be a system for employers to verify the legal status of their employees, to cut back on the demand for illegal immigrant labor among businesses.