House Republicans have asked the Department of Homeland Security to explain how it will protect thousands of domestic flights this holiday travel season after pulling nearly all air marshals down to the southern border.
Seven GOP lawmakers sent Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas a letter on Monday requesting that the department turn over information about the Transportation Security Administration’s decision to require Federal Air Marshal Service officers to help Border Patrol agents amid the crisis, according to a copy obtained by the Washington Examiner.
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“We are profoundly concerned that the Department of Homeland Security is redirecting these Air Marshals away from their critical law enforcement functions in our nation’s skies, creating a massive risk to public safety,” wrote the seven members of Congress, led by Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH). “As we enter one of the busiest travel times of the year, it is imperative that we have every Federal Air Marshal tending to their actual job rather than assisting in a problem your administration created and continues to ignore.”
The Washington Examiner reported in early December that dozens of rank-and-file air marshals planned to refuse an order to deploy to the border on Dec. 7 and risk termination.
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Republicans asked the department to provide what could be the projected impact on public safety on flights, steps taken to increase flight safety given the removal of most marshals, and the financial cost of sending marshals to the border and an overview of the work they are doing. Carey set a Dec. 31 deadline.
The other six members who signed the letter are Reps. Troy Balderson (R-OH), Ben Cline (R-VA), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Jody Hice (R-GA), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), and Randy Weber (R-TX).
The Federal Air Marshal Service is comprised of roughly 3,000 marshals. The exact number of air marshals is classified for national security reasons.
Air marshals fly on up to 8% of U.S. commercial flights, depending on which flights are considered higher risk. The deployments to the border have drawn the 8% figure down to just 1% of flights being protected with federal agents on board, Air Marshal National Council President David Londo told the Washington Examiner.
One reason that some air marshals oppose the border mission is that they have been tasked with menial jobs, including heating up food and hospital watch, Londo said.
The labor group that represents roughly 70% of air marshals said it was aware of two air marshals who had expressed frustration about the assignment.
“Both members had family issues that complicated deployment, and these issues were addressed at the lowest levels by collaboration with the AMA, the FAM, and local managers,” Air Marshal Association President John Casaretti wrote. “The majority of those going to the borders are volunteering, and some agents have even volunteered for multiple tours.”
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The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement that the operation was within the air marshals’ duties.
“Federal Air Marshals are performing law enforcement support to the mission at the southwest border,” according to a TSA spokesman. “The TSA Federal Air Marshal Service is a highly valued member of the DHS law enforcement team and has an ever-expanding role within DHS, working closely with other U.S. and international law enforcement agencies to safeguard the nation’s transportation systems.”
