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Russian (RU) Travelers have encountered a perfect storm of chaos at some U.S. airports in recent days, as spring break crowds jammed into short-staffed security lines.
On Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement entered the mix, sent by President Donald Trump to assist Transportation Security Administration workers who are not being paid due to a partial government shutdown - and who are calling out of work in large numbers.
At some airports, hours-long lines have covered multiple levels or snaked outdoors. Some travelers have given up and rebooked their flights when it became clear they would not make it through security in time. Others reported sleeping at airports.
Democrats and civil rights groups have raised concerns about an ICE presence at airports, though administration officials have said they expect them to work in a supportive role to the TSA. Here’s what travelers should know.
Which airports have ICE agents been sent to?
The Department of Homeland Security said it would not confirm the locations for “operational security reasons,” but The Washington Post confirmed 14 airports with ICE officers Monday. The airports share a common trait: They have some of the highest callout rates - 41.5 percent at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, for instance, and 42.3 at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, according to DHS data from Sunday.
Nationwide, the agency reported 11.8 percent of TSA officers, or more than 3,450 employees, did not report for their shifts Sunday, the most absentees since the start of the partial government shutdown.
The airports with an ICE presence are:
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH)
Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico (SJU)
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)
Keith Jeffries, a former TSA director for Los Angeles International Airport, said DHS could dispatch ICE agents to other airports, especially ones with mounting callout rates.
What are ICE officers doing at airports?
TSA acting deputy administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News on Monday that ICE agents would be “conducting non-specialized security support - manning the exit lanes, crowd management, line control … to help alleviate the challenges that our officers are facing.”
In a statement, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport said ICE would be responsible for “supporting TSA operations in a non-screening role, including assisting with passenger flow and divesting.” The Ohio airport said the agents are not checking IDs or screening passengers.
Kimberly Kraynak-Lambert, a District 3 manager of the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing federal workers, said at Pittsburgh International Airport, ICE will be in charge of crowd control and directing foot traffic, such as moving passengers to shorter lines - jobs, she said, that a volunteer could perform.
“They will be standing next to and working with people not getting paid, as ICE receives a paycheck,” Kraynak-Lambert said.
How long will ICE be at airports?
No specific timeline has been released, but agents have been deployed in response to TSA staffing shortages. Senators said late Monday that they were working on a deal to fund much of DHS, including TSA. An agreement could pave the way for airport operations to return to normal.
Will ICE agents substitute for TSA officers?
Not likely. They will be playing more of a supportive role than running operations, especially in the technologically advanced screening area.
“They clearly can’t come in and take over for TSA without a huge disruption, because do they know how to perform explosives-trace detection on hands or resolve an alarm? If somebody has a pacemaker, can they go through?” said John S. Pistole, a former TSA administrator. “There are all those subtleties and nuances that TSA officers are trained to understand.”
Jeffries said screening makes up about 80 percent of the TSA “pie.” To become a TSA officer, or TSO, recruits must commit to eight months of training on average.
The schooling starts with two weeks at a federal law enforcement center, where they learn how to operate the vast array of equipment found in the field. They next receive on-the-job training, often focusing on such basic tasks as checking documents, guarding exit lanes, pushing bins and reminding passengers to remove their coats and shoes, if applicable, and toss their liquids.
Jeffries and Pistole said ICE will primarily monitor and control the crowds or maintain the PreCheck lanes, positions airline personnel will sometimes fill during peak travel periods such as spring break and holidays.
The former administrators worry that bad actors could take advantage of the long, chaotic lines or possible gaps in security.
“[ICE agents] can’t work at the checkpoint. That’s not their training or background or experience. And heaven forbid a potential terrorist sees this as an opportunity to try to get through a checkpoint because it’s less secure,” Pistole warned.
Will ICE be checking travelers’ immigration status?
Democrats have raised alarms about agents potentially harassing travelers, checking papers and citizenship, or detaining people without due process.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement that federal officials had “indicated that this deployment is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities.”
Trump, however, warned on Truth Social on Saturday that ICE agents would “do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country.”
Can ICE agents ask for proof of citizenship?
The airport is no different from any other public space, said Nicole Hallett, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic and a clinical professor of law at the University of Chicago.
If an ICE agent suspects an airport patron of an immigration violation, they can briefly detain the individual, requesting identification and issuing an arrest if they believe the person has broken the law.
“If they are acting in their capacity as ICE agents at the airport, then they essentially have the same duties and responsibilities that they would have in any place, which is to say if you were on a public street, they could walk up to you and ask you questions,” Hallett said.
There are limits to their powers, however. Without a warrant, Hallett said, they cannot search a passenger’s personal belongings, such as a carry-on bag, or scour their phone or laptop for incriminating evidence. They can conduct those types of probes only if they are authorized to work on behalf of the agency that performs such security duties, such as TSA at domestic checkpoints and Customs and Border Protection at ports of entry.
“If they’re acting as a TSA agent, they have to follow TSA rules. If they’re acting as a CBP agent and doing Border Patrol work, then they have the authority that Border Patrol has,” Hallett said. “And if they are just merely standing in the airport as ICE officers, then they have the same legal authority that any ICE officer standing in a public location has.”
What should you do if an ICE agent tries to interrogate you?
If an ICE agent approaches, Hallett does not recommend running away, which could raise suspicions. If an officer starts to pepper you with questions, you can invoke the Fifth Amendment.
“You can calmly say, ‘I’m exercising my right to remain silent,’” she said. “They should allow you to do that, but whether they actually allow you to do that is another story.”
By law, you do not have to carry proof that you are a U.S. citizen or legal resident. However, if you fear that ICE may target you because of certain physical features, presenting a document verifying your status could quickly quash any inquisition.
The American Civil Liberties Union has said that noncitizens without legal status “should consider the risks of flying, including on domestic flights within the U.S.”
Can ICE approach you anywhere in the airport or just at security checkpoints?
There are no ICE-free zones. They can approach passengers anywhere, anytime - in the arrivals terminal, in the security lanes, in line for a Dunkin’ coffee, at the gate. Hallett recommends travelers stay alert during their entire time in the airport.
“Be aware of your surroundings and be prepared, and know what you’re going to do if you’re approached.”
Are ICE agents helping the TSA lines move any faster?
Lines remained long at some airports Monday, when more than 2.6 million people went through TSA checkpoints. As The Post reported late Monday, the deployment of the agents “appeared to have limited effect in reducing security lines, as passengers reported wait times as long as five hours in Houston and lengthy delays in other major cities.”
On Tuesday, a day when passenger numbers are generally lighter, results varied by airport. Lines at the Atlanta airport had eased by late morning, according to news reports. But Bush airport in Houston continued to warn that waits could last more than four hours.
Doesn’t TSA already have backup - the local police?
A consortium of law enforcement entities and federal agencies oversees security at airports. Depending on the facility, the police may be on staff, on loan from the local force or on call from the city’s police department.
Each unit has a distinct role, but they often work in concert. TSA has “a very narrow search authority,” Jeffries said. The agency’s primary role is to identify dangerous prohibited items such as guns, explosives and incendiary devices, he said. If the officers discover contraband, they will contact law enforcement.
“TSA doesn’t arrest anybody,” Jeffries said. “They find items that are not authorized into the transportation sector.”
How should passengers prepare for long TSA lines?
Travelers should start monitoring wait times, watching for airline updates and seeking out airport information long before their flight starts boarding. They should not rely on official TSA times, which are generally estimates and are not being updated during the partial shutdown anyway.
Some airports have stopped providing specific wait times due to extremely long lines. Atlanta, for example, does not give them but warns travelers on its website to allow at least four hours or more for security screenings.
Passengers should go for the fastest lane they can use at the airport. If open, TSA PreCheck is generally faster than a standard line if travelers have paid for the service. PreCheck Touchless ID, a separate lane, can be even faster - but passengers need to opt in before checking in for their flight. Clear, a subscription service, is offering a two-month free trial and day pass through its app.
If you expect to miss your flight, check options for later in the day to reschedule or contact the airline for help. Don’t want to brave the chaos? Some airlines are offering flexibility to change flights proactively without fees, including Delta in Atlanta and United in Houston.
Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Marianne LeVine and Amy B Wang contributed to this report.
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