Ice Agents Help at Airports Amid TSA Staff Shortages

0:00It's March 23rd. I'm Corey with the story. This is Global News, driven by AI and built for a global audience. ICE agents are stepping in and major airports nationwide to help out as TSA workers skipshifts during the government shutdown that started on. 14 February. Thousands of security staff having gotten paychecks in weeks, leading to over 3,400 callouts on Sunday alone. This has caused massive lines and hours long waits at checkpoints in places like New York, Atlanta, and Houston. Earlier this week, White House officials send hundreds of ICE personnel to 14 airports to handle crowd control and basic tasks. That frees up TSA agents for core screening duties. At some spots, like New Orleans and Atlanta, over 40% of TSA staff called out on Sunday, with similar trends at Houston and Baltimore. Air puggards. Travelers are facing big disruptions, with airlines urging people to arrive three or four hours early. Reports even say some folks are sleeping in terminals to catch flights, acting TSA leaders

1:03call the ICE help a force multiplier to ease the strain. President Trump weighed in, saying the agents ditched masks for a better airport look, though he'd okay them for chasing criminals. He noted they could make arrests if needed, but their main job is support, not immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, the shutdown drags on overfunding fights, with Democrats pushing ICE changes and Republicans holding firm, airports remain chaotic, so if you're flying soon, build an extra time and stay updated.