President Trump may send National Guard to airports after ICE deployment
After sending ICE to assist the TSA earlier this week, President Trump said he would send the National Guard to airports if needed.
Airport security wait times have eased slightly as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have begun assisting with screening at major airports amid a partial government shutdown, but some cities are bracing for a re-influx of weekend travelers.
It’s been a chaotic start to the week for travel at airports across the country, with wait times reaching record levels. Estimated wait times in TSA security lines appear to have decreased midweek in cities including Atlanta, New Orleans, and Houston. However, there are more travelers on Fridays, Mondays and weekends than on weekdays, so expect long lines at some airports.
“While we experienced a temporary decrease in passenger traffic and reduced wait times on Wednesday, we expect a significant increase in passenger traffic on Thursday and Friday,” Houston airport officials said in a statement.
ICE agents have been sent to more than a dozen airports to ease the chaos as TSA staff absenteeism spikes due to a lack of funding at the Department of Homeland Security.
Loren Biss, acting assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed late on March 25 that “ICE officers go through a standard TSA training curriculum and then perform entrance/exit security, logistics support, crowd control, and identity verification using TSA equipment and standard operating procedures.”
Travelers and officials have questioned how much ICE is doing to ease long lines. But President Donald Trump said ICE would “make a big difference” and said he was considering sending the National Guard to airports as well.
Ahead of the Easter break, the House and Senate were scheduled to vote on March 26 on whether to move forward with a DHS funding measure to end the government shutdown that has lasted nearly six weeks. The momentum to lift the shutdown from earlier in the week appears to have slowed after the Senate again voted against advancing the DHS funding proposal on March 25.
Here’s what you need to know about wait times at major airports.
atlanta
Lines turned around outside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the early morning hours of March 26, WXIA-TV reported.
On March 23, the airport experienced some of the longest lines in the country, with passengers waiting in line for more than five hours to reach security checkpoints. Videos shared on social media on March 25 showed lines fluctuating throughout the day and shrinking between the early morning and afternoon rushes.
The airport’s website still advises travelers to plan for at least four hours through security. “It only takes a few hours to understand,” said a Delta Air Lines employee who goes by “Moneyman Dan” on TikTok.
baltimore
Long lines formed at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on the morning of March 26, but the situation had “normalized” by mid-morning, airport spokesman Jonathan Dean told USA TODAY. As of 2 p.m., the wait time was about five minutes or less.
Wait time estimates are not currently published on the airport’s website, but travelers are advised to arrive at least three hours in advance, officials said. Dean said real-time estimates likely won’t be available immediately.
“We continue to encourage customers to arrive at the airport early,” Dean said. “Wait times may vary throughout the day.”
chicago
FlightQueue showed that as of 9:30 a.m. March 26, security wait times at Chicago O’Hare International Airport were moderate, with an average wait time of 15 to 30 minutes. The site also showed that the average wait time for security at Midway Airport is less than 15 minutes.
houston
TSA and airport officials said in a statement that wait times at George Bush Intercontinental Airport could reach more than four hours on March 26. Officials say lines could extend outside.
“Passenger numbers are expected to increase significantly through the weekend due to major events in Houston, including CERAWeek and the NCAA Men’s Sweet 16,” the statement said.
Wait times at the city’s other airport, William P. Hobby Airport, were less than 15 minutes on the afternoon of March 26, according to Houston Airports.
new orleans
As of 10 a.m. local time, TSA lines at Louis Armstrong International Airport were slightly busier than in March compared to previous days, but travel times were within 15 to 20 minutes, airport spokeswoman Erin Burns told the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.
Burns told the outlet that lines have improved significantly over the past week, but travelers departing on Sunday or Monday will still have to wait.
new jersey and new york
Estimated wait times are no longer displayed on New Jersey and New York airport websites, but some third-party sites, such as TSA Wait Times, Fly Index, and Takeoff Timer, provide real-time updates.
TSA wait times at Newark Liberty International Airport were about 20 to 25 minutes as of the morning of March 26th.
TSA wait times at LaGuardia Airport on Thursday averaged 3 hours and 30 minutes due to a combination of TSA staffing shortages and ground delays, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, TSA Wait Times and Takeoff Timers.
Travelers reported TSA wait times at John F. Kennedy International Airport had reached three hours as of 10 a.m. Thursday, March 26, while typical security wait times average about 30 minutes. TSA pre-screening times averaged five minutes this morning, according to Takeoff Timer, and two of the six TSA pre-screening lanes were closed at JFK Airport, which opened today, Thursday, March 26.
philadelphia
The waiting times at PHL security checkpoints as of the morning of March 26 are as follows:
- Terminal A-East: Standard security 12 minutes, TSA pre-screening 2 minutes
- Terminal B: Standard Security 7 minutes
- Terminal D/E: Standard security check 6 minutes, TSA pre-screening 2 minutes
To give travelers a better framework of wait times at the airport, real-time updates on wait times can be found on the airport’s checkpoint times page, and wait times vary throughout the day.
Contributor: Eileen Wright natalie nesa alland, Nathan Diller, Michelle Del Rey, Caitlin McCormick, USA TODAY. Lori Comstock, USA TODAY NETWORK
