At any point, air travel and the airport can be a stressful scene. Finding a place to park, ensuring we get to the airport two hours before our flight takes off, making sure we pick the perfect coffee and snack to keep us company on a long flight, and ICE agents? And a shortage of TSA workers? Welcome to air travel in America as of March 23–chaos on top of chaos.
On Monday, March 23, the Trump administration deployed ICE agents to airports across the United States. Trump announced the deployment following the Department of Homeland Security’s shutdown, which, of course, was the Democrat’s fault, as is every other crazy decision this administration makes, apparently. Due to the shutdown of DHS, TSA workers have gone without their regular paychecks since February, as funding to DHS has been blocked until changes are made to immigration policies and operations.
Across the country, over 400 TSA workers have resigned, and the nationwide absentee rate has increased to around 11%. Major airports have seen a rise in call-outs and no-shows from their workers. TSA workers are not able to afford rent, food, childcare, and other essentials because of their lack of pay. Individuals attempting to fly out of major airports, such as New York or Atlanta, are facing TSA security lines of upwards two-three hours. Rather than attempting to negotiate a plan with the Democrats demanding change, or providing other assistance to the TSA workers, the Trump administration took matters to the extreme.
Send in the ICE agents! Only to assist with airport security and the staggeringly long-lines individuals are facing, of course. They are simply assisting with security measures and to help these lines shorten up! Which includes also guarding exits and certain areas of airports, for security, obviously. It has been stated by DHS and the administration that the plans for ICE at airports do not include major deportations or immigration control, only for security purposes. However, individuals today have spotted masked ICE agents–attire they are known to wear when carrying out deportations and arrests.
Fourteen airports are said to have deployed ICE agents present during the current shutdown. They have been spotted at mainly major airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Not only does this cause added stress for individuals flying, but causes increased tension within the airports. No one wants to board a flight if it means having to be watched by ICE agents, or sit in three hour lines. Air travel is one of the most convenient forms of travel for long distances, and now we are seeing it compromised by the current administration.
We have no idea how long this shutdown will be, or how long ICE agents will be present at America’s largest airports. While it is said that once the shutdown is complete ICE agents will no longer be deployed there, but major airports are where many individuals from other countries come to the US. It would be an unshocking coincidence if ICE continues to be deployed to where immigrants could be coming through, legally or not.
