WASHINGTON – Federal immigration enforcement officers started arriving at major airports across the country Monday to assist with security operations as widespread absences among unpaid TSA workers create extensive flight delays.
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed the deployment of hundreds of ICE personnel to help with airport security screening at facilities experiencing severe staffing shortages.
Officials report that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents along with Homeland Security Investigations personnel are being sent to 14 airports nationwide. The affected locations include major hubs such as Atlanta, New York’s JFK, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, and Fort Myers.
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport – which handles more passenger traffic than any other U.S. airport – issued advisories Monday recommending travelers plan to arrive a minimum of four hours before their scheduled departure times.
