ICE agents help at airports as TSA workers call out due to lack of pay from the ongoing shutdown.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been deployed to major airports across the country to address security staffing shortages caused by absences among Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees.
The absences stem from a partial government shutdown that began on February 14, leaving TSA staff without pay and leading to increased call-outs, with more than 3,400 agents absent on Sunday.
Deployment Details and Affected Airports
Hundreds of ICE agents have been sent to 14 airports, including New York, Atlanta, and Houston. Photos show agents at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York and Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, where they are assisting with non-specialized security functions to free TSA agents for core duties.
At specific airports, absence rates were high: 42.3% of TSA staff at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and 41.5% at Hartsfield-Jackson called out on Sunday. Similar rates were reported at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
President Donald Trump stated that ICE agents at airports would not wear masks, describing it as an inappropriate look, though they typically wear them for other duties. Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl noted that ICE agents are acting as a "force multiplier" to support operations.
Impact on Travelers and Responses
Travelers at affected airports have faced hours-long security queues, with some advised to arrive three to four hours early. The Department of Homeland Security reported that wait times are so extensive that passengers are sleeping in airports to avoid missing flights.
Over 100 airport leaders, in a letter to Congress via Airports Council International, expressed deep concern about operational disruptions and urged immediate action to end the shutdown. Meanwhile, the funding standoff continues, with Democrats seeking curbs on immigration enforcement and Republicans holding firm.
