Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport faced hours-long security lines over the weekend as staffing shortages tied to the partial federal government shutdown snarled operations at the nation’s busiest airport.
Passengers reported wait times stretching from two to as long as five hours, with lines winding through baggage claim areas and back toward terminal entrances, according to a report from WSB-TV. Airport officials urged travelers to arrive at least three hours early, while some airlines recommended even earlier arrival for international flights.
The delays come amid a prolonged funding lapse affecting the Department of Homeland Security, which has left roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration workers without pay. The financial strain has led to rising absenteeism and resignations, significantly reducing the number of available screening agents at airports nationwide.
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Spring break travel has compounded the issue, with hundreds of thousands of passengers moving through Atlanta over the weekend alone. Similar disruptions have been reported at major airports across the country.
The Associated Press reported that the Trump administration will deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist at airport checkpoints in an effort to ease congestion. Officials say ICE personnel would take on limited, non-screening roles to allow trained TSA officers to focus on primary security functions.
The proposal has drawn criticism from TSA union leaders and some lawmakers, who argue that ICE agents lack the specialized training required for airport security and that the move does not address the root issue of unpaid workers.
Late Sunday, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a statement in response to the planned ICE presence at the airport.
“We have been informed that federal personnel from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) will be deployed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport beginning [Monday] morning.
“According to federal officials, these personnel will be assigned to support operational needs directed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including line management and crowd control within the domestic terminals. Federal officials have indicated that this deployment is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities.
All federal personnel will report directly to TSA for the duration of this assignment. There are no requests for support from the Atlanta Police Department, and no anticipated impact on City operations at this time.