ICE Agents Deployed to Major US Airports Amid TSA Staff Shortages
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been deployed to several major airports across the United States to assist with security duties. This deployment aims to address the staffing shortages caused by thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees refusing to work without pay amid a partial government shutdown that began on 14 February.
The absence of TSA employees has resulted in significant delays, with long queues and wait times extending for hours at airport security checkpoints. On Sunday alone, more than 3,400 TSA agents called out of work, exacerbating the situation.
Deployment Details and Locations
On Monday, White House border tsar Tom Homan announced that hundreds of ICE agents had been assigned to 14 airports in cities including New York, Atlanta, and Houston. Photographs have shown ICE agents present at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, among others.
Unlike previous deployments where agents wore masks or face coverings, these ICE agents were not wearing masks at the airports.
Presidential Comments on Mask Policy
"I'm a big believer that they should be able to wear masks when they go and hunt down, you know - murderers, criminals, and others," President Donald Trump said to reporters on Monday.
"But for purposes of the airport, I've request that they take off the mask," he added. "I didn't think it was an appropriate look for an airport."
Impact on TSA Staffing and Passenger Experience
At Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, 42.3% of TSA staff called out on Sunday, while at Hartsfield-Jackson, 41.5% of staff were absent, according to data obtained by the BBC's US news partner CBS. Additionally, more than one-third of TSA employees were absent at three other airports on the same day, including Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
Passengers at some airports on Monday were advised to arrive three to four hours early to accommodate expected delays.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that wait times have become so extensive that some travelers have resorted to sleeping in airports to avoid missing their flights.
Role of ICE Agents and TSA Response
Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl stated that ICE agents are present to "help support" TSA staff by performing "non-specialised security functions," allowing TSA agents to concentrate on "aviation security specifically."
"We are hoping they can be a force multiplier," Stahl said in an interview with Fox News.
Tom Homan clarified over the weekend that ICE agents would assist with crowd control and would not be directly involved in passenger screening.
However, President Trump later indicated that ICE agents could make arrests at airports.
"They're able to now arrest illegals as they come into the country. That's very fertile territory," he told reporters. "But that's not why they're there. They're really there to help."
Political Context and Funding Standoff
Democrats in Congress have refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security without implementing new restrictions on immigration agents. This stance follows public outrage after ICE agents fatally shot two US citizens in Minneapolis.
There is little indication that the funding impasse will be resolved soon. Republicans have rejected Democratic proposals to fund TSA operations while negotiations over ICE reforms continue.
