LOS ANGELES:- Major airports in the United States are currently experiencing unusually high levels of congestion and long security lines, as a partial shutdown caused by a government budget dispute has impacted security.
Airports are facing a staffing shortage after thousands of employees of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), part of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), began walking off the job without pay. About 50,000 TSA officers are reportedly unpaid, forcing many to look for alternatives.
To control the situation, the US government has deployed hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to 14 airports across the country. They are also deployed at busy airports such as Atlanta and New York’s JFK.
However, according to officials, ICE officers will not be screening passengers. They will be limited to line management and administrative support.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, it’s just incredible,” said Andres Campos, a passenger from Virginia.
On Sunday alone, more than 12 percent of TSA employees were reported absent from work, the highest rate since the shutdown began.
Meanwhile, the presence of immigration officers at the airport has also sparked a new debate. Some civil rights groups and travelers have expressed concerns that it could create fear among the immigrant community.
The government has made it clear that the move is only a temporary solution and is being taken to facilitate the management of the airport.