ICE agents at airports: Latest details as TSA wait times increase

As TSA wait times continue to increase across the country, federal immigration officers have begun working in some airports Monday to help with various TSA roles. 

Here is what to know:

ICE agents at airports

The backstory:

President Donald Trump said over the weekend he would use federal immigration officers to help field long airport security lines starting Monday unless Democrats agreed on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have pledged to oppose funding for DHS unless reforms are made in the wake of an immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to the fatal shootings of two protesters. 

The presence of ICE agents at airports, Trump said, would be to assist the TSA, which is facing a shortage and call-out of workers as they’re going unpaid during the shutdown. ICE is continuing to be funded through the shutdown.  

RELATED: Trump says he'll put ICE agents at airport security if funding bill isn’t passed

Which airports are ICE agents at?

Big picture view:

DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis said over the weekend that "hundreds" of ICE officers would be deployed, but she would not disclose the airports where they would go, citing security reasons.

Dig deeper:

Reuters, CNN and The Associated Press were reporting ICE agents had been deployed to at least 13 major-city airports, based on information from sources, social media posts and first-hand reporter accounts: 

• Chicago
• Cleveland
• Atlanta
• Houston
• New York (JFK and LaGuardia)
• New Orleans
• San Juan
• New Jersey
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• Pittsburgh
• Fort Meyers

ICE agents were clearly identified and seen working at least three of these airports – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Houston airport, JFK and Newark.  They could be seen wearing ICE police vests and helping with crowd control and line management at the TSA checkpoint, where the lines stretched for several hours. 

LOCAL COVERAGE FROM THESE AIRPORTS HERE: 

• ICE agents arrive at Atlanta airport as security lines stretch outside
• ICE agents seen at Newark, JFK airports as TSA lines keep growing
• ICE agents seen at Houston's Bush Airport

What are ICE agents doing at airports?

Dig deeper:

White House border czar Tom Homan, who was named by Trump to lead this effort, said the ICE agents could step into various jobs of TSA agents that would free up those TSA agents to work at screening stations. 

These jobs could include: 

• Covering exits currently monitored by TSA agents
• Checking identification before people enter screening areas
• Crowd control and line management

ICE agents would not be working the screening lines or looking at an X-ray machine because they’re not trained in that, Homan said. He added that ICE agents are assigned at many airports already across the country and work on various criminal investigations. 

Are ICE agents wearing masks at airports?

What they're saying:

Trump on Monday directed ICE officers not to wear face coverings during their work at airports. 

In a social media post, Trump said he supports ICE officers wearing masks when dealing with "hardened criminals" but suggested it isn’t necessary when assisting with the "MESS at the airports."

TSA wait times

By the numbers:

DHS said at least 376 TSA agents have quit since the partial shutdown began Feb. 14.

According to FOX Business, these are some of the longest wait times reported at airports over the weekend: 

• Atlanta (ATL): Reported wait of 153 minutes early Sunday, with lines described as wrapping around baggage claim
• New Orleans (MSY): Security line reportedly stretched into the parking garage
• Houston (IAH/HOU): Some passengers reportedly faced waits of up to two to three hours, with Hobby Airport hit especially hard by staffing shortages
• JFK (New York): Waits climbed to 75 minutes Sunday morning after being much lower a day earlier
• Newark (EWR): Delays reached 44 minutes at points
• LaGuardia (LGA): Waits rose to around 20 minutes, lower than other major hubs but still up from minimal waits the previous day
• Cincinnati (CVG): Third-party tracker estimates showed waits approaching nearly an hour
• San Juan (SJU): Third-party tracker estimates also showed waits approaching nearly an hour

What you can do:

If you are traveling soon, check for updates from your local airport about its recommendation for arrival times. You can check their social media accounts or directly on the airport’s website. 

Also look for information from the airport you’re flying home from. Some major airports allow you to book a specific time slot for TSA security, which could help reduce wait times.