ICE Deployed To ATL Airport As Travelers Told To Arrive 4 Hours Early

ATLANTA, GA — Federal ICE agents are deployed, and travelers are asked to arrive at least four hours in advance of their flights, as security lines continue to swell at the Atlanta airport.

Like airports nationwide, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is feeling the impact of the partial government shutdown as Transportation Security Administration go unpaid.

The expanded arrival times are recommended for both domestic and international screenings, Hartsfield-Jackson said in a notice on its website.

TSA wait times were not available online as of Monday morning.

The shutdown, a stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, has reached its 38th day and has impacted thousands of federal workers.

In an interview with CNN, Border Czar Tom Homan says ICE agents will provide extra security at airports and assist with airport security screenings.

"I don't see an ICE agent looking at an x-ray machine because (they're) not trained in that," Homan told the outlet. “There are certain parts of security that TSA is doing, that we can move them off those jobs and put them in the specialized jobs, help move those lines.”

Immigration agents have begun arriving at airports across the country on Monday including Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, two airports in Houston, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, both in New York and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, among others, ABC reported.

Atlanta Mayor On ICE At ATL Airport

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens on Sunday said his office was notified that personnel from Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations would be deployed to Hartsfield-Jackson on Monday morning.

He noted the presence of the federal agents was only to support TSA operational needs, including line management and crowd control at the domestic terminals, and was not intended to initiate immigration enforcement activities.

It was not immediately known how long ICE agents would be present at Hartsfield-Jackson. The agents will report to TSA during their deployment, Dickens said.

Atlanta Police was not asked to support the operation, he added.

“Our administration will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in communication with the public and travelers as these federal actions develop," Dickens said in a statement. “Atlanta remains committed to ensuring that residents and travelers feel safe, informed and supported as they move through the world’s busiest and most efficient airport."

The mayor said his administration is "hopeful" for the full funding of TSA workers so standard operations can resume at Hartsfield-Jackson.

In the meantime, the City of Atlanta has been supporting TSA workers by offering the following:

• Meal Vouchers: TSA officers receive two meal vouchers per shift.
• Free Parking: TSA employees have been provided complimentary parking during their assigned shifts at the airport.
• Free MARTA Breeze passes: TSA personnel receive free Breeze Passes, and the TSA received an additional 100 passes.
• Concessionaire Support: Airport concessionaires are offering discounted meals and food options.
• Customer Service Assistance: ATL airport customer service representatives are assisting passengers, when possible, to help ease extended security lines caused by staffing constraints.
  

RELATED: ATL Airport Faces Long Waits Amid Federal Shutdown, Severe Storms

GA Leaders, White House's Take On Lingering Travel Disruptions

The White House continues to place blame on Democrats for significant travel disruptions across the U.S.

In their latest statement released Friday, White House officials said 50,000 TSA officers were part of more than 100,000 DHS workers affected by the partial shutdown. They have gone without paychecks for the third time in six months, officials said.

This has prompted "skyrocketing resignations" and "massive callouts," leading to crippling effects at national airports.

In Atlanta and New Orleans, the DHS said callouts rose by more than 30 percent between March 15 and March 16. This trickles down to passengers as there are less screening agents available at security checkpoints, DHS said.

U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-GA, released the following statement Monday, shifting the blame to the GOP:

"TSA workers have not been fully paid in 30+ days," Warnock tweeted. "Yet Republicans here in Washington have literally decided to suspend the business of the Senate to solely focus on ramming through their voter suppression bill."

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-GA, on Monday released his own statement on the matter:

"Due to Democrats’ open-border demands, ATL is continuing to see longer than normal wait times," he tweeted. "Travelers are encouraged to arrive at least four hours early so Democrats can allow criminal aliens into your neighborhoods. Democrats appreciate using you and airport partners’ pain as leverage for their radical ideology."

President Donald Trump, a Republican, on Sunday said he will not negotiate a deal with Democrats on DHS funding until they support his SAVE America Act, an elections bill.

For now, it is unknown when the federal government will fully reopen.