On Monday, March 23, The Trump Administration followed through on it’s ultimatum to place ICE agents in airports across the country.
As of today the partial federal government shutdown has been in effect for six weeks causing thousands of federal employees to experience payless paydays as many continue to stay on the job in essential cpacities, whether it’s personal or professional. Particularly hard hit are Transportation Security Administration officers serving on the front lines at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
As travelers at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport waited in record breaking lines this morning which were at last report extending well outside of the airport with many standing in line for four to five hours, the presence if ICE agents has drawn mixed reactions from passengers. A number of business and leisure travelers expressed concern that the presence of ICE is not only not helping with getting through TSA lines, they are disturbed by the presence of ICE agents and worried about the message it sends at the world’s busiest airport.
“Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap. It creates one,” said Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents frontline TSA workers. “[TSOs] deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be,” he added.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the federal agents deployed to the airport are there strictly to support operations — not to enforce immigration laws — and will report directly to the Transportation Security Administration.
Officials explained that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are assisting with tasks such as crowd control, managing security lines, and checking passenger IDs. This allows TSA officers to concentrate on their primary responsibility: screening passengers and baggage.
In the past week, callouts spiked over 50% in Houston and over 30% in New Orleans and Atlanta, resulting in fewer officers screening an ever-growing number of travelers.
Attrition has also surged, with nearly 400 TSOs leaving the force. This loss compounds TSA’s ability to meet passenger demand, as each new TSO replacement requires 4-6 months to be trained and certified, leaving critical gaps in staffing.
On Monday, Mayor Andre Dickens issued the following statement regarding a planned federal presence at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport:
“We have been informed that federal personnel from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) will be deployed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport beginning tomorrow morning.
“According to federal officials, these personnel will be assigned to support operational needs directed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including line management and crowd control within the domestic terminals. Federal officials have indicated that this deployment is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities.
“All federal personnel will report directly to TSA for the duration of this assignment. There are no requests for support from the Atlanta Police Department, and no anticipated impact on City operations at this time.
“Our Administration will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in communication with the public and travelers as these federal actions develop.
“Atlanta remains committed to ensuring that residents and travelers feel safe, informed, and supported as they move through the world’s busiest and most efficient airport.
“Our Administration remains hopeful the Federal Government can soon find a way to fully fund TSA and pay their employees to resume standard operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—and all airports we connect to.
“To help ease the burden on TSA officers who continue to serve travelers despite not receiving pay, the City and ATL have implemented support measures which can be found here.
“Members of the public and media are encouraged to direct specific operational questions to the Transportation Security Administration.”
