- ICE agents are not currently aiding TSA operations at CVG, despite a nationwide deployment announced by the Trump Administration. The rollout began March 23 to address staffing shortages caused by the DHS shutdown, which has left TSA workers unpaid for about five weeks. While ICE agents have been reported at 14 other U.S. airports, federal officials declined to confirm specific deployment locations, and CVG reports normal wait times.
Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents are not aiding Transportation Security Administration employees at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron as of now.
On March 22, President Donald Trump and U.S. border czar Tom Homan announced that ICE agents would be deployed to numerous airports across the country to assist TSA employees amid severe staff shortages brought on by the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. The official deployment began Monday.
As a result of the shutdown, wait times at airport security lines across the country have increased dramatically, causing frustration among passengers and airport employees alike.
In a statement given to LINK nky, Acting Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Lauren Bis said the administration’s rationale for the deployment of ICE agents is to help reduce the number of disruptions for air travelers.
“While the Democrats continue to put the safety, dependability and ease of our air travel at risk, President Trump is taking action to deploy hundreds of ICE officers, that are currently funded by Congress, to airports being adversely impacted,” Bis said. “This will help bolster TSA efforts to keep our skies safe and minimize air travel disruptions.”
Axios reported that Homan said ICE agents would not operate x-ray machines, but would be allowed to guard exit lanes and check IDs to help free up TSA employees.
TSA employees have not been paid for approximately five weeks since the shutdown. Since the government has classified TSA employees as “essential workers,” they have been required to continue working throughout the shutdown. Already, over 400 TSA employees nationwide have quit their jobs since the shutdown began on Feb. 14, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Currently, CVG is experiencing typical airport security wait times, though some local media outlets reported longer lines earlier today.
When asked if CVG was on the list of airports receiving ICE deployments, Bis said that the agency was “not going to confirm the locations of our officers” for operational security reasons.
However, CNN published a list of 14 U.S. airports where ICE agents have reportedly been spotted:
- Chicago-O’Hare International Airport
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- William P. Hobby Airport – Houston
- John F. Kennedy International Airport – New York City
- LaGuardia Airport – New York City
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
- Luis Munoz Marin International Airport – San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Newark Liberty International Airport
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- Pittsburgh International Airport
- Southwest Florida International Airport – Fort Myers, Florida
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport – Houston
CVG spokeswoman Karen Gutierrez said the airport had “no comment” on the matter.