Security checkpoint wait times at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport dropped [1] significantly after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were deployed to assist Transportation Security Administration personnel during the ongoing partial government shutdown, according to a report from CNN.
Senior National Correspondent Ryan Young reported Tuesday morning from inside the airport, describing a noticeable change in conditions compared to prior days when travelers faced extended delays.
“Wolf, I almost can’t believe I’m able to say this, the times have dropped off tremendously this morning,” Young told anchor Wolf Blitzer.
The shift comes after weeks of long lines tied to staffing shortages, as TSA agents continued working without pay following a lapse in Department of Homeland Security funding that began in February.
“People were waiting an hour in line, now that is not the case. If you look at the main checkpoint here, it seems like there’s less than a dozen people. I don’t think people thought they were going to see the numbers where they are right now,” Young said.
Video from the airport showed a largely empty TSA checkpoint, with only a small number of passengers waiting to pass through screening areas.
Young noted that Tuesdays are typically less busy travel days at the Atlanta airport, but also pointed to the recent presence of ICE agents as part of the change observed.
“They are patrolling the outside areas of the airport, keeping people safe, interacting with some of the people as they walk by, but for the most part, they have this defensive posture where they’re sort of just walking around and making sure the perimeter is safe,” Young said.
He added that interactions between the agents and travelers had remained calm.
“So far the interactions between the people and the agents have been pretty nice cause they’re not wearing the masks,” he said.
When asked whether the ICE agents were conducting immigration enforcement actions, Young said he had not observed such activity.
“We’ve never seen them take a license from anybody as well,” he said.
Young also described how some agents were positioned near TSA personnel without engaging directly with passengers.
“The one area of the job that we have seen them do is every now and then they’ll stand – like this gentleman is – right behind some of the TSA agents, but not even interacting with the public. So he’s standing there guarding, but not taking any sort of boarding pass or ID from anyone,” he said.
ICE agents were deployed beginning Monday at approximately 14 airports across the country as federal authorities sought to address operational challenges caused by the shutdown.
TSA workers, who are considered essential personnel, have continued reporting for duty despite missing paychecks.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, absentee rates among TSA screeners rose over the weekend to their highest level since the shutdown began five weeks earlier.
While conditions at Atlanta’s airport appeared orderly, other locations experienced a range of reactions following the deployment of ICE agents.
Footage from Monday showed some travelers confronting officers, shouting at them, and pushing cameras toward them while they were on duty.
In other instances, passengers were seen approaching agents in a supportive manner, shaking hands and expressing appreciation for their presence.
The deployment of ICE personnel comes as federal agencies continue to manage staffing shortages and maintain security operations at major travel hubs during the funding lapse.