As the Department of Homeland Security shutdown enters its seventh week, the administration has pivoted to a controversial fix: It’s deploying hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to 14 major airports to plug the gaps left by unpaid TSA officers who are calling out or quitting.
But as these new badges show up at the checkpoints, travelers are asking a fair question: Is this helping, or is it just making a bad situation worse?
If you’ve flown this week, you’ve seen it (and we predicted it in this week’s Consumer Alert). In Atlanta, the queue for security has wrapped around baggage claim, spilled out the doors, and looped along the curb. At JFK and LaGuardia, it’s the same story of frustration and missed flights. (Late yesterday, the president signed an order to begin paying TSA agents, but the details remain unclear and the lines are still long.)
ICE is props, no more, no less. They are not doing ICE work only handing out water bottles and helping old folks with luggage problems. And they’re getting paid while TSA is not getting paid — the irony and the symbol of this administration’s idea of a solution — totally bogus.
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What’s happening with the TSA?
The numbers behind this crisis are troubling. More than 480 TSA officers have resigned since the funding lapse began, and another 3,200 are currently calling out of work. With staffing at a skeleton crew level, wait times have hit 4.5 hours in some hubs and reached a peak of 6 hours in others.
The administration’s plan involves moving ICE agents into roles like guarding exit lanes and checking IDs to free up the remaining certified TSA screeners. The ICE agents aren’t trained to operate magnetometers or scan carry-on items, leading critics to call the move political theater. In fairness to ICE, some have been spotted checking the IDs of travelers at the airport.
Are ICE agents helping the situation?
Supporters of the move argue that any extra hands are better than none. Senator Mike Rounds (R.-S.D.) noted that the agents could “help relieve some of the pressure.” In some terminals, travelers have welcomed the presence of the agents, hoping they can manage the chaotic crowds and put out fires when lines stretch for hours. By taking over routine tasks like line management and crowd control, the agents theoretically allow the few remaining TSA screeners to focus on the actual screening.
Then again, maybe not
But the “help” from ICE may be more of a hindrance. Union officials point out that ICE agents lack the specific skill set to process people safely and quickly. Many travelers have reported that the presence of the agents hasn’t shortened wait times at all.
There’s also the issue of trust. Advocacy groups warn that seeing armed immigration agents in a civilian space creates an atmosphere of fear and confusion.
What do you think?
Is the presence of ICE agents making you feel safer, or is it just adding to the chaos?
- If you answered yes, I’d like to know if you’ve flown this week. Which airport did you use? What have you experienced? Were the ICE agents you saw helpful? How did they improve security?
- If you answered no, same question: Have you flown this week? How were the ICE agents unhelpful or disruptive? What is the solution, in your opinion?
My take: The TSA is a specialized security agency, not a general-purpose police force. Bringing in ICE agents who don’t have the training to run a scanner is a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. It’s a move designed for optics, but maybe not efficiency. We shouldn’t be swapping one type of agent for another; we should be paying the professionals who actually know how to screen airline passengers.
Your turn
What do you think of ICE agents at the airport? Our comments are open. And remember, this isn’t a political site, so please stay on topic.
What you’re saying
Readers split on whether ICE agents help or hurt, with some saying armed officers create tension while others claim lines moved faster when they arrived.
Just for show
Sheryl flew through Atlanta and said seeing guys armed to the teeth was jarring, like Khartoum during a revolution. ICE agents weren’t crowd managing or checking IDs, just milling around drinking coffee or staring at phones. George Schulman said there’s no need for another layer verifying documents when TSA has machines that do it. Mr. Smith said security requires specific technical skills you can’t replicate by moving personnel from one agency to another.
Lines moved when ICE arrived
lostinlodos said traveling friends reported lines got moving as soon as ICE showed up. ICE is replacing every person not running scanners, letting trained staff run more scanners. They check IDs, hand out water and snacks, help with luggage, and make sure people have the right papers ready. y_p_w countered it hasn’t been improving wait times. The criticism is it’s more for show and hasn’t alleviated staffing issues at metal detectors and scanners.
Armed officers create tension
Miles Will Save Us All said deploying armed immigration officers into civilian domestic travel is unnecessary escalation that creates a tense atmosphere and could decrease public cooperation during stressful times. Dangerous Ideas said passengers care about reaching their gate. If agents can clear exit lanes and handle basic ID checks, it keeps more screening lanes open. Debra Beasley cancelled a trip because of TSA issues.