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ICE agents seen at Reagan, Dulles as shutdown strains TSA staffing
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been spotted at both Reagan National and Dulles International airports as the partial federal government shutdown continues to affect Transportation Security Administration staffing.
WASHINGTON - Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been spotted at both Reagan National and Dulles International airports as the partial federal government shutdown continues to affect Transportation Security Administration staffing.
What we know:
Federal officials say the agents are being deployed to help support airport operations, not to conduct broad immigration enforcement.
DHS says ICE personnel are not supposed to randomly check travelers’ status, though they can make arrests if someone is already flagged in federal systems.
READ MORE: ICE agents spotted at Reagan National, still expected at Dulles
FOX 5 cameras captured ICE agents walking through terminals at Dulles, though they did not appear to be directly assisting TSA officers. At Reagan National, passengers expressed mixed reactions to seeing ICE agents inside the airport.
ICE agents are now being sent to airports nationwide as TSA officers continue working without pay. DHS says call‑outs have increased, and some airports around the country have reported long security lines.
The White House says ICE agents who remain on the payroll are being used in support roles such as monitoring exit lanes and handling non‑screening duties so TSA officers can focus on security checkpoints.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Transportation Security Administration and previous FOX 5 reporting.