ICE Agents Deployed to US Airports for Enhanced Security Measures

US Government Deploys Immigration Agents to Major Airports Amid Shutdown

The US government has deployed hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to 14 airports across the country, including Atlanta and New York’s JFK airport, in an effort to alleviate staffing shortages at security checkpoints. The move comes as a partial government shutdown affects the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). As a result, approximately 50,000 TSA officers have not received pay due to the shutdown.

According to officials, the ICE agents will provide administrative and support services, such as managing queues and assisting airport operations. They will not be involved in passenger screening or replace TSA officers. The DHS reported that nearly 12 percent of TSA officers – over 3,450 workers – did not report for duty on Sunday, resulting in a significant staffing shortage.

The deployment of ICE agents has raised concerns among some travelers and civil rights groups, who worry about the potential impact on immigrant communities. Congress must pass spending bills to keep federal agencies funded, with lawmakers having approved a $1.2 trillion spending package in early February. However, funding for the DHS was left out of this bill, leading to the current shutdown.

The TSA is part of the DHS, and when DHS funding is blocked, TSA funding is also affected. The dispute over DHS funding led to a political deadlock in Congress, resulting in the partial government shutdown. ICE, however, received separate funding through a major spending law passed last year, which has allowed it to continue operating despite the shutdown.

The deployment of ICE agents at airports will continue until Congress passes spending bills to keep federal agencies funded.

Source: Al Jazeera