A significant change in airport security begins Monday morning as ICE agents arrive at checkpoints in 13 major U.S. cities.
The deployment is a direct response to a critical staffing shortage within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), caused by an ongoing five-week government shutdown that has left over 50,000 screeners working without pay. White House border czar Tom Homan is overseeing the operation, which aims to use Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel as a “force multiplier.
While these agents are not trained to operate X-ray machinery or conduct technical baggage scans, they are taking over logistical roles to free up certified TSA officers for high-level security tasks.
“There’s TSA agents covering exits. People that enter through the exits. Certainly, a highly trained ICE law enforcement officer can cover an exit,” Homan stated during a Sunday appearance on CNN. He noted that by having ICE manage these stationary posts and check passenger IDs, “that relieves that TSA officer to go to screening and to reduce those lines.”
The 13 airports identified for this initial phase include:
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
• Chicago-O’Hare International Airport
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
• LaGuardia Airport (New York)
• Newark Liberty International Airport
• Philadelphia International Airport
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
• William P. Hobby Airport (Houston)
• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (San Juan, PR)
• Pittsburgh International Airport
• Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers)
The situation remains fluid as more than 400 TSA agents have resigned since the funding deadlock began in mid-February, and thousands more have been forced to call out due to the financial strain of missing multiple paychecks. Some hubs reported wait times exceeding six hours over the weekend, with lines stretching into parking lots.
While the administration maintains this is a necessary step to keep the country moving, the plan has drawn criticism from labor unions and lawmakers who cite concerns over the lack of specific aviation security training for ICE personnel.
Travelers are advised to remain patient and arrive at least three to four hours before their flights, as the presence and specific duties of these agents may vary by location.
