President Trump announced on Saturday, March 21 that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would be deployed to assist Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at major airports, as a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has led to elevated officer absences and longer security wait times at several airports.
|
42.4%
TSA callout rate,
Houston IAH
|
220 min
Peak wait,
IAH Sunday
|
>9%
Nationwide TSA absence rate, 7-day avg
|
Now in the 36th day of the shutdown on Monday, March 23, White House border czar Tom Homan stated ICE agents would not operate X-ray machines. Their role would be limited to guarding exit lanes and checking IDs, allowing TSA officers to focus on checkpoint screening.
Conditions at select airports
At Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), security lines extended into the parking garage on Sunday, March 22, with some passengers reporting missed flights due to wait times. Approximately 36% of TSA officers at MSY called out sick during the prior week. Airport officials advised travelers to arrive at least three hours before departure on Monday.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, security wait times reached roughly three hours on Sunday. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens confirmed federal immigration agents would begin assisting there starting Monday. Airport general manager Ricky Smith reported that around 33.6% of the airport’s TSA agents had called out during the shutdown.
At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, wait times reached 220 minutes at certain points Sunday. TSA reported a national officer callout rate of approximately 11.5% on Saturday, the highest recorded since the shutdown began. The rate at George Bush Intercontinental was 42.4% on that day; JFK International in New York recorded 33.4%.
Across the agency, TSA reported that more than 9% of employees had been absent over the preceding seven days.
Airports receiving ICE support
The 13 airports reportedly slated to receive ICE officers are:
- Chicago O’Hare International
- Cleveland Hopkins International
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
- Houston William P. Hobby
- John F. Kennedy International (New York)
- LaGuardia Airport (New York)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International
- Luis Muñoz Marín International (San Juan, PR)
- Newark Liberty International
- Philadelphia International
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International
- Pittsburgh International
- Southwest Florida International (Fort Myers)
Commentary on airport screening policy
The Washington Post Editorial Board published an opinion piece arguing that the situation highlights a case for privatizing airport screening. The board contended that nonunionized private contractors, operating under government standards, could perform TSA screening functions at lower cost, citing San Francisco International and Kansas City International airports as examples where private companies currently handle screening.
To stay up to date on the DHS shutdown, follow HSToday’s ongoing coverage of the issue at https://www.hstoday.us/featured/dhs-partial-shutdown-continues/.
