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ATLANTA (AP) — In response to President Donald Trump’s directive, an increased number of federal immigration officers are being stationed at U.S. airports to assist the Transportation Security Administration. This decision comes amid a government shutdown that has led to extensive security checkpoint delays nationwide.
On Monday, a few federal officers were observed by The Associated Press managing the bustling lines at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Similarly, other airports, such as Louis Armstrong International in New Orleans and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports, confirmed the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to bolster TSA operations.
While federal officers are typically stationed at international airports for duties like screening incoming passengers and handling cases related to smuggling and fraud, their new role at TSA checkpoints marks an unusual development. Their enhanced visibility at these security points stands out in the present context.
These deployments occurred as a significant number of Homeland Security personnel, including those from the TSA, U.S. Secret Service, and the Coast Guard, have been working without pay since Congress did not approve funding for DHS last month. As a result, many TSA agents have been calling in sick or resigning due to financial pressures. This has led to sporadic checkpoint closures and varying wait times for travelers.
On Sunday, the Trump administration announced plans to send federal immigration officers to major airports experiencing the longest delays. According to Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bis, this initiative would involve “hundreds” of ICE officers, though she withheld the specific names of all the airports involved, citing security concerns.
Some fear the move to deploy federal immigration agents will only escalate tensions.
“This latest threat of ICE invasion at the airports is another distraction from solutions that protect Americans,” a coalition of unions representing flight attendants and other workers — including the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers — said in a Sunday statement. Transportation security officers “can’t simply be replaced” by federal immigration officers, they noted, adding that ICE’s presence and potential attempts to question passengers about immigration status may also “distract them from ensuring airport security.”
The unions called for TSA workers to be paid immediately.
Trump said on Sunday that he would order federal immigration agents to airports to assist TSA by guarding exit lanes or checking passenger IDs unless Democrats agreed to fund the DHS. Funding for the department lapsed Feb. 14, as Democrats refused to fund ICE as well as Customs and Border Protection without changes to their operations in the wake of the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Democrats are continuing to demand major changes to federal immigration operations — including policy changes that would require ICE officers to get a warrant from a judge before forcefully entering homes, the removal of masks and clear identifying information on uniforms.
Trump on Monday directed ICE officers not to wear face coverings in their work at airports. In a social media posted, Trump said he supports ICE officers wearing masks when dealing with “hardened criminals” but suggested it isn’t necessary “when helping our Country out of the Democrat caused MESS at the airports.”
Beyond TSA operations, New York’s LaGuardia Airport shut down following a deadly collision on the runway late Sunday. An Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck while landing, officials said — killing the pilot and copilot while around 40 passengers and crew members were taken to area hospitals, some with serious injuries.
According to the FAA, LaGuardia is expected to remain closed until at least 2 p.m. ET on Monday. Air traffic has been diverted, and Monday morning operations also were halted at Newark Liberty International Airport in neighboring New Jersey.
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Grantham-Philips reported from New York. Associated Press writer Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report.