Key insights
- ICE agents are being deployed to US airports to assist with security screening due to staffing shortages caused by the government shutdown. This is causing significant delays, with Atlanta airport advising passengers to arrive four hours early. The disruption to travel and commerce poses a slight negative risk to near-term economic activity and market sentiment.
WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - U.S. immigration agents began deploying at some U.S. airports on Monday to aid security screening as staffing absences by unpaid airport security officers cause massive delays.
The Homeland Security Department confirmed it had begun deploying hundreds of ICE agents to assist in airport security at airports facing significant staffing issues.
ICE and Homeland Security Investigations officers were being deployed to 14 airports, officials told Reuters, including Atlanta, JFK in New York, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and Fort Myers. Separately, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson -- the busiest U.S. airport -- told passengers to arrive at least four hours early on Monday for flights.