NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began fanning out at more than a dozen airports across the nation, including Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia, on Monday to assume some of the duties of Transportation Security Administration officers affected by a federal government funding crisis.
An official estimated that about 65 ICE agents were deployed across all the terminals at Newark.
President Donald Trump says they are being sent in to assist the understaffed TSA.
They are mainly monitoring the terminal entrances and exits and freeing up TSA agents to focus on screening.
“Every time Donald Trump gets involved, he creates chaos for the American people,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement. “This latest proposal is no different. Trump’s ICE has a track record of making communities less safe, and sending untrained ICE agents to staff our airports is not an acceptable solution. Instead, it’s time for Donald Trump and Washington Republicans to do their jobs and fund TSA.”
President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that the ICE agents assigned to airports will also continue to enforce immigration laws.
“They really are a high-level group of people and they love it because they’re able to now arrest illegals as they come into the country. That’s very fertile territory,” Trump said during a gaggle with reporters on the tarmac in Palm Beach, Florida. “But that’s not why they’re there. They’re really there to help.”
Trump went on to say, “If that’s not enough, I’ll bring in the National Guard.”
Homan said that if ICE agents see “illegal activity,” they will take action because they are federal law enforcement officers.
Despite the partial government shutdown, the TSA security lines at Newark have been moving and flight delays have been minimal.
Senator Cory Booker called the ICE agents helping at TSA checkpoints a political stunt because the Port Authority Police have things under control.
“And now suddenly Donald Trump has brought chaos into our airport in New Jersey. This is his way of doing things. Chaos, cruelty and corruption. That is visiting upon us now because Donald Trump won’t fund TSA and has brought ICE into our airport here,” Booker said.
Also on Monday, Newark Liberty International Airport also dealt with other issues — including an air traffic control tower that had to be temporarily evacuated due to the smell of smoke and long lines at TSA.
The trouble at Newark began less than 8 hours after a deadly runway collision at LaGuardia airport.
The evacuation led to a ground stop and flights were forced to hold for about an hour, but then air traffic controllers were seen moving back to the tower by 8:30 a.m.
An FAA spokesperson confirmed there was no fire and the controllers evacuated the tower due to a burning smell from an elevator.
