ICE Agents Sent to Airports

Long airport security lines caused by a partial government shutdown have led to a new presence at checkpoints across the country. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been sent to assist at 14 major U.S. airports as staffing shortages hit the Transportation Security Administration. The deployment was announced by White House border chief Tom Homan, who said the officers were there to help travelers move through security more quickly.

According to a source who spoke with the New York Times, roughly 100 to 150 ICE agents were assigned to airports on Monday. Their specific responsibilities have not been fully detailed. Reports indicate the agents have been visible at checkpoints and throughout terminals at several large airports.

Witnesses said ICE officers were seen in places such as Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, and Newark Liberty International Airport. Some observers told the New York Times that many of the agents appeared to be mostly watching operations or talking with coworkers rather than directly helping with security tasks, though their exact role remains unclear.

Homan said the officers are primarily meant to assist with the screening process and help ease congestion. He also noted that, like other law enforcement personnel, they would be expected to respond if they encountered criminal activity while on duty. Homan placed responsibility for the funding stalemate on Democrats.

Some security experts question how much ICE agents can actually contribute. Keith Jeffries, who previously oversaw TSA security operations at Los Angeles International Airport, said ICE officers do not receive the same specialized training required for airport screening. He said that operating X-ray machines, performing bag inspections, and conducting pat-downs require extensive preparation that TSA workers undergo through classroom instruction and weeks or months of hands-on training.

Critics in Congress have also raised concerns. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the plan a “terrible idea,” arguing that agents arriving from outside agencies may not be familiar with the specific layouts, procedures, and protocols used at individual airports.

The decision to send ICE agents comes after several days of severe delays at major airports. At Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, the busiest airport in the United States, some passengers reported waiting as long as six hours to get through security, with lines extending toward parking areas.

TSA staffing has been strained during the shutdown, which began in mid-February. Employees have been working without pay, and absentee rates have risen. On Saturday, more than 11.5 percent of TSA officers called out of work, marking the highest absence level since the shutdown began.