Government Shutdown Strains TSA Staffing Amid Rising Wait Times

As the partial US government shutdown continues, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have begun assisting at airport security checkpoints to help alleviate Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages. The move, directed by President Donald Trump, affects over a dozen major US airports, including Atlanta, John F. Kennedy, and Houston. ICE officers are taking on limited roles, such as guarding exit lanes and managing crowds, but are not replacing TSA screeners in their core screening function. The deployment comes as TSA absenteeism has climbed sharply, with some airports seeing over a third of screeners call out, and more than 400 TSA employees have resigned since the shutdown started. The situation was first reported by AeroTime.