Mayor Andre Dickens confirms ICE agents deploying to Atlanta airport

Atlanta airport wait times stay high; Trump sending ICE

Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are facing waiting times of up to three hours on Sunday as a prolonged government shutdown enters another week, leaving TSA agents without pay.

ATLANTA - Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport faced three-hour security delays Sunday as Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens confirmed federal immigration agents will deploy to assist unpaid TSA staff starting Monday.

Airport security wait hits three-hour peak

What we know:

Airport officials are urging passengers to arrive at least 3 hours before their flight due to the extended wait.

The spike in wait times has been attributed to a high number of TSA employees calling out, as many staffers have missed paychecks for over a month now.

Airport general manager Ricky Smith said last week, around 34% of Hartsfield-Jackson's TSA agents have called out as the partial shutdown continues. 

Federal agents to assist at Atlanta security checkpoints

What they're saying:

In response to the delays, President Donald Trump said on Sunday he plans to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports across the country starting Monday to assist at security checkpoints impacted by the ongoing shutdown.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has confirmed federal agents will be sent to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday morning.

"According to federal officials, these personnel will be assigned to support operational needs directed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including line management and crowd control within the domestic terminals," Dickens said. "Federal officials have indicated that this deployment is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities."

ICE agents are supposed to report directly to TSA.

Dickens added that there have been no requests for support from the Atlanta Police Department and that the deployment will not impact city operations.

Despite the deployment, Dickens promised the city remains committed to keeping travelers safe and informed.

"Our administration remains hopeful the federal government can soon find a way to fully fund TSA and pay their employees to resume standard operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—and all airports we connect to," Dickens said.

The US Department of Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement to FOX 5 that Trump is "using every tool available to help American travelers."

"While the Democrats continue to put the safety, dependability, and ease of our air travel at risk, President Trump is taking action to deploy hundreds of ICE officers, that are currently funded by Congress, to airports being adversely impacted. This will help bolster TSA efforts to keep our skies safe and minimize air travel disruptions," Bis added. 

The staffing shortage has created significant hurdles for travelers at the Atlanta airport, including a recently married couple attempting to board their honeymoon flight to Las Vegas.

"Yeah, it's a bit much. We came five or six hours early. Our flight is at eight, and we are still not sure we are going to make it or not," the couple said. "Everyone is trying, they are nice, but it's a mess, it really is."

What we don't know:

FOX 5 has reached out to TSA for further details on the ICE deployment. 

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