Some local officials are objecting to the Trump administration’s announcement that ICE agents will begin handling some security duties at U.S. airports.
Long lines greeted passengers at TSA security screenings at San Diego International Airport during the government shutdown last November. Some local officials are objecting to the Trump administration’s announcement that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will begin handling some security duties at U.
S. airports on Monday amid an ongoing partial government shutdown. It was not clear if there were specific plans for ICE agents to be deployed at San Diego International Airport. A spokesperson for the San Diego Airport Authority had no information on the matter. Federal officials said Sunday that border czar Tom Homan would be in charge of the effort to use immigration enforcement personnel to supplement security at airports amid the shutdown, which has left roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees working without pay, contributing to increased absenteeism and staffing shortages at airports nationwide. “I have no idea how they can contribute at an airport unless it was for intimidation purposes,” said Aaron Vazquez, a TSA lead transportation security officer at the San Diego airport and assistant airport steward for the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1260 in San Diego. Vazquez said his job is to make sure travelers are not a threat to security, which has nothing to do with immigration enforcement. “I don’t want them anywhere near the checkpoint and officers that I’m in charge of. I don’t want them interfering with what the officers are trying to do,” Vazquez said. San Diego City Councilwoman and Airport Authority Board Member Marni von Wilpert also balked at the idea. “ICE’s aggressive, abusive conduct makes us less safe. Putting ICE in our airports will make travel more chaotic, more stressful, and less secure — not better,” she said. “ICE has already shown it refuses to follow the law and respect our communities — so I’m deeply concerned about what this deployment will mean for San Diego travelers and the thousands of workers at San Diego International Airport.” Von Wilpert, who is running for Congess, said lawmakers on Capitol Hill need to properly fund and staff TSA to alleviate long security lines and airport delays. Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, posted a photo on social media showing long lines at the airport on Sunday morning. “It doesn’t have to be like this,” he said. “I have a bill to pay TSA workers, Coast Guard and emergency management without adding more to ICE and Border Patrol. Easy, right? But Trump won’t allow it. As the DHS shutdown drags into nearly 40 days, federal workers and travelers shouldn’t have to suffer from Republican inaction.” The proposal comes as a partial government shutdown has left roughly 50,000 TSA employees working without pay, contributing to increased absenteeism and staffing shortages at airports nationwide. Administration officials said about 10% of TSA workers failed to report for duty on some recent days, compared to typical rates of less than 2%. Vasquez said about 70 to 80 officers per day are not going to work in San Diego, up from around 20 before the shutdown. “They can monitor traffic of the passengers to make sure they don’t get out of line or go through the stanchions,” Vazquez said. “I don’t understand what we need help with if it’s not people that are able to screen the passengers.” Homan told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that the effort was about “helping TSA do their mission and get the American public through that airport as quick as they can while adhering to all the security guidelines and the protocols.” “We’re simply there to help TSA do their job in areas that don’t need their specialized expertise, such as screening through the X-ray machine,” he said. “Not trained in that? We won’t do that. But there are roles we can play to release TSA officers from the non-significant roles, such as guarding an exit so they can get back to the scanning machines and move people quicker.” On Saturday, President Donald Trump said he would order ICE agents to assist with airport security if Congress did not immediately reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which includes TSA officers. In a social media post, Trump said ICE agents could also be tasked with making immigration arrests at airports. “If the radical left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our country, in particular, our airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE agents to the airports where they will do security like no one has ever seen before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority issued a travel advisory Sunday for passengers traveling out of the city’s airport. “Passengers traveling out of San Diego International Airport are encouraged to check their flight status before coming to SAN and plan to arrive at least two hours before their flight,” airport spokeswoman Nicole Hall said Sunday, the second day the airport was experiencing delays. “Checkpoint wait times and flight scheduling are subject to the operations of our federal and airline partners. These operations are, at times, affected by the federal government shutdown.” Hall said an influx of seasonal spring break travelers was also affecting wait times, which could take up to one hour during a “fluid situation.” “We appreciate the ongoing commitment from TSA, FAA, and our partner airlines to maintain the safety and reliability of the national transportation system during this challenging time,” Hall said. “Our focus remains on ensuring a safe and efficient airport experience.” Travelers to San Diego International Airport were encouraged to plan ahead and arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours prior to international departures.Ty France makes Padres’ opening-day roster Fewer people are riding the San Diego trolley. Officials blame the unexpected drop on ICE and affordability.Readers offer alternative theories on decline in Trolley ridershipSan Diego Padres offer sneak peek of this season’s new food options at Petco Park
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