ICE agents were expected to begin handling some security duty at select U.S. airports on Monday — but despite initial reports, there was no immediate indication that any California airports, including San Diego’s, would be involved in the effort.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were called in to airports nationwide amid an ongoing partial government shutdown that has sidelined many Transportation Security Administration officers
Various reports appeared on Monday morning that ICE agents were being deployed to 14 airports across the nation — but none in California.
However, heavy delays continue.
“Passengers traveling out of San Diego International Airport are encouraged to check their flight status before coming to SAN and plan to arrive at least 2.5 hours before their flight,” said San Diego International Airport spokesperson Nicole Hall in a statement. “Checkpoint wait times and flight scheduling are subject to the operations of our federal and airline partners. These operations are, at times, affected by the federal government shutdown. ”
“We appreciate the ongoing commitment from TSA, FAA and our partner airlines to maintain the safety and reliability of the national transportation system during this challenging time.”
Federal officials said Sunday that border czar Tom Homan would be in charge of the effort to use immigration enforcement personnel to supplement security at airports amid the shutdown, which has left roughly 50,000 TSA employees working without pay, contributing to increased absenteeism and staffing shortages at airports nationwide.
Some local officials balked at the Trump administration’s announcement about the ICE deployment, including a top TSA official at San Diego International Airport.
“I have no idea how they can contribute at an airport unless it was for intimidation purposes,” Aaron Vazquez, a TSA lead transportation security officer at SAN and assistant airport steward for the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1260 in San Diego, told City News Service on Sunday. “What are they going to do, find somebody and shoot them?”
Vazquez said his job is to make sure travelers are not a threat to security, which has nothing to do with immigration enforcement.
“I don’t want them anywhere near the checkpoint and officers that I’m in charge of. I don’t want them interfering with what the officers are trying to do,” Vazquez told CNS.
“I don’t need an ICE agent telling passengers what to do. We are trained to be nice to passengers. They are law enforcement so they are armed. TSA is not,” he added.
City Councilwoman and Airport Authority Board Member Marni von Wilpert also objected to the idea.
“ICE’s aggressive, abusive conduct makes us less safe. Putting ICE in our airports will make travel more chaotic, more stressful, and less secure — not better,” she said. “ICE has already shown it refuses to follow the law and respect our communities — so I’m deeply concerned about what this deployment will mean for San Diego travelers and the thousands of workers at San Diego International Airport.
“… The solution to long security lines and airport delays is simple: Congress needs to properly fund and staff TSA now,” von Wilpert added.
“.. I have been in touch with San Diego Airport Authority staff and legal counsel. We do not yet know the full scope of ICE’s plans at the airport, but we are working to get answers and minimize disruption and anxiety for travelers and our workforce.”
On Saturday, President Donald Trump said he would order ICE agents to assist with airport security if Congress did not immediately reach an agreement to fund TSA officers.
The proposal comes as a partial government shutdown has left roughly 50,000 TSA employees working without pay, contributing to increased absenteeism and staffing shortages at airports nationwide.
Administration officials said about 10% of TSA workers failed to report for duty on some recent days, compared to typical rates of less than 2%.
“Officers have to take matters into their own hands and not come to work,” Vazquez said. “They are stressed, they are coming to me saying ‘what can I do?’ They can’t afford gas to get to work.”
The usual un-planned absence call-out before the shutdown was about 20 officers per day in San Diego. Now there are about 70 to 80 officers per day who are not going to work, according to Vazquez.
“They (ICE agents) can monitor traffic of the passengers to make sure they don’t get out of line or go through the stanchions,” Vazquez said. “I don’t understand what we need help with if it’s not people that are able to screen the passengers.”
The average non-shutdown wait time is about 20 minutes to get through airport security at SAN when fully staffed, with a maximum wait time of 30 minutes.
Before the shutdown, about 500 to 550 officers were available to screen each day in San Diego.
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