Overview
- The administration deployed hundreds of ICE officers to more than a dozen airports on Monday, including JFK, LaGuardia, Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Phoenix, Newark, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Fort Myers and San Juan.
- DHS officials say the officers will manage lines, guard exits and help verify IDs, and they will not operate TSA screening machines such as X‑ray belts or body scanners.
- President Trump urged ICE to work without masks during the airport duty, a shift from past tactics that drew criticism over anonymous, tactical-style gear.
- Civil-rights groups warn the officers still hold immigration arrest powers for people with deportation orders or no legal status, and Democratic leaders and unions question their airport-specific training.
- Travelers continued to face hours-long waits at hubs like Atlanta, with reports of four to six hour lines and advisories to arrive three to four hours early as Congress has yet to resolve TSA pay.