Trump Toys With Sending in National Guard as Airport Security Waits Rise to Four Hours in Some Cities

The pain is increasing for airline passengers amid a lengthening funding standoff for the workers who screen passengers as President Trump tries to come up with a temporary solution.Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are deploying to more than a dozen airports that have been hit hard by callouts from security screeners due to a funding impasse in Congress for the Department of Homeland Security.Transportation Security Administration-employed screeners have gone more than a month without a paycheck and a growing number of them are not showing up for work. More than 3,450 agents called out on Sunday — nearly 12 percent of all TSA workers. Another 400 officers have left their jobs altogether since the latest shutdown began.Among the cities with the biggest delays are New Orleans, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Houston. Atlanta’s Hartsfield–Jackson airport website wanted passengers to allow “at least” four hours for domestic and international screenings on Monday and extra time for screened luggage.Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport also warned that security lines could exceed four hours on Monday. Nearly 40 percent of TSA agents called out on Sunday. The airport reported wait times of 270 minutes at Terminal E and 250 minutes at Terminal A South on Monday afternoon.The Department of Homeland Security acknowledges that “many” screeners are calling out of work to take side jobs to support their families.ICE agents were visible on Monday at several airports, but most appeared to be doing crowd control work. CNN reported that between 100 and 150 ICE officers were deployed to airports across the country.President Trump told reporters on Monday that he would prefer that ICE agents not wear masks while working inside airports. Videos of passengers following ICE officers in an effort to record video of their faces was posted on social media.Mr. Trump says he is also considering deploying the National Guard to airports to assist with security. It was unclear how National Guard troops would be utilized at airports.Homeland Security has been largely unfunded since February 14 due to Democrats refusing to support funding for the agency until changes are made to immigration enforcement. Democrats have repeatedly attempted to pass bills funding just the TSA and FEMA, but Republicans have blocked those measures.While some DHS workers furloughed and others are forced to remain on the job unpaid as essential workers, ICE remains fully funded as part of a separate funding bill passed last year.Mr. Trump wants Congressional Republicans to tie Homeland Security funding to the “SAVE America Act.” The bill — being debated in the Senate — would require Americans to prove their citizenship before voting, and to show photo identification at the polls.While speaking at an event at Memphis, Tennessee on Monday afternoon, Mr. Trump suggested Congressional Republicans skip an Easter recess to get it passed. “Do it for Jesus,” Mr. Trump said.Travelers at a handful of airports, including the main airports in San Francisco and Orlando, are not being affected by the TSA funding problem. There are twenty airports across the country that are part of the Screening Partnership Program that contracts security screening services at commercial airports to private companies.The largest company involved with the program says it will continue to pay workers. VMD Corp. says the money is cutting into its bottom line until the federal government reimburses it for the expenses.

Trump Toys With Sending in National Guard as Airport Security Waits Rise to Four Hours in Some Cities

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