The head of the Transportation Security Administration during the Obama administration said President Donald Trump’s decision to send U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents into major U.S. airports “could be a good thing.”
Former TSA Administrator John Pistole told CNN’s This Morning that ICE officers are a “visible deterrent” to those who would consider carrying out an attack against the hundreds, even thousands, of airline passengers standing in TSA lines at security checkpoints.
“These long lines are a soft target for a putative terrorist, somebody who wants to come in and make a name for themselves, for their cause,” Pistole said.
“And so if somebody comes in, any one of these terminals around the country where we have these long lines, hundreds, thousands, perhaps, people just winding back and forth, and they see these armed officers, that may be a visible deterrent. So, that could be a good thing,” Pistole said.
The Washington Examiner reported on Monday that ICE employees from its Enforcement and Removal Operations arm and Homeland Security Investigations arm had been sent to 13 major airports nationwide.
A senior administration official told the Washington Examiner that ICE “may assist with documents,” but would focus on “helping with lines,” “crowd control,” and “exits.”
“They’re clearly not helping out at the TSA security checkpoints, which is good because they’re not trained to do that. But it doesn’t seem like…they are helping facilitate the movement of the people in an effective, efficient way,” Pistole said. “So, it’s just a question: What is their assignment? What are their goals? And is it smart?”
Trump decided over the weekend to have ICE personnel assist TSA amid nationwide staff shortages stemming from the shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security.
When asked by a reporter if ICE would arrest illegal immigrants at airports, Trump stated that ICE was “able to now arrest illegals as they come into the country.” Trump added that airports are “very fertile territory.”
However, non-U.S. citizens without valid travel documents may not enter the United States or board domestic flights.
Pictures and videos of ICE employees walking through airports or behind TSA officers at checkpoints began circulating on social media Monday morning.
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More than 400 TSA officers have resigned in the 39 days since the Department of Homeland Security lapsed funding.
In addition, 1,100 TSA officers resigned during the longest-ever government shutdown last fall, Pistole said.
