At airports like Houston, New York, and Atlanta, more than one-third of TSA staff are absent due to a partial government shutdown that leaves them unpaid. To fill the gaps, ICE agents will deploy to 14 locations starting Monday.
ICE personnel will manage security lines and assist with crowd control, but will not perform tasks requiring specific TSA clearance. The deployment comes amid ongoing debates over funding and immigration enforcement practices.
The TSA union criticizes the replacement, arguing that untrained ICE agents could compromise safety. Democrats demand changes to ICE's immigration operations following recent controversial incidents.