What could the role of ICE be at airports?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Consider This from NPR

Episode: What could the role of ICE be at airports?

Date: March 24, 2026
Host: Scott Detrow
Guest: Keith Jeffries (former Federal Security Director for TSA at Los Angeles International Airport)
Length: ~10 minutes (excluding ads and outro)

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Overview

This episode addresses the ongoing chaos at U.S. airports resulting from a six-week partial government shutdown, focusing specifically on the unprecedented deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to assist Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff. Through conversation with Keith Jeffries, a high-level TSA veteran, the episode examines the impacts of staff shortages, ICE’s evolving role, airport security risks, and practical advice for travelers during this crisis.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Shutdown’s Immediate Impact on Airports

• Long Waits and Frustrated Travelers: Passengers are currently facing hours-long security lines, missed flights, and significant personal costs.
  • Quote: “I had to book a flight for $300...It looks way worse than what it did yesterday.” — Passenger Ariana Bolsitto [00:17]
• TSA Under Duress: TSA agents are working for more than a month without pay, leading to mass callouts and resignations.
• Political Blame: The episode briefly references partisan disputes over the funding impasse and its direct link to the shutdown’s duration.
  • Quote: “Some of them are needing money, you know, because the Democrats cut off their money. I blame the Democrats more than anything else.” — Caller Keith Jeffries (paraphrasing public sentiment) [00:41]

2. ICE’s Deployment and Unclear Role

• Unprecedented Use of ICE Agents: President Trump ordered ICE agents to several airports to support TSA operations.
• Lack of Clarity: Both the specific responsibilities and the measurable impact of ICE agents remain ambiguous, with early reports indicating security line wait times have not improved.
  • Quote: “My understanding is...they’re not doing direct passenger screening, and the initial reports are the wait times have not gone down at all.” — Scott Detrow [04:31]

3. How ICE Support Works at the Ground Level

• Operational Explanation:
  • Headquarters (DHS) identifies hardest-hit airports and dispatches ICE agents accordingly.
  • Local TSA leadership decides how best to utilize ICE agents: likely in crowd control, supervision, or support functions—not direct screening—unless granted further training.
  • Quote: “I highly recommend crowd control, crowd monitoring, and see if that support is there. That’s all I would need them for there.” — Keith Jeffries [05:35]
  • Potential for ICE agents to eventually support document checks or exit lane monitoring with additional, targeted training.

4. Ongoing Security and Customer Service Risks

• Security Risks:
  • Staff shortages and crowding can create vulnerabilities within the aviation sector and lead to heightened stress, both for the public and staff.
  • Quote: “The biggest challenge is the security risk that it brings to the aviation sector—the crowds, the angst, and the shortage of personnel to get them through from point A to point B safely.” — Keith Jeffries [03:34]
• Staff Morale: Many TSA workers feel overburdened but are doing their best under the circumstances.
  • Quote: “They took an oath. They understand the mission and they need to be in there to keep that traveling public safe. And I guarantee you 99% of all of those employees are trying their best to do that.” — Keith Jeffries [07:15]

5. Recommendations and Solutions

• Primary Solution: The ultimate fix rests with lawmakers: pass a funding bill and pay government workers.
  • Quote: “We gotta get these lawmakers to pass a budget and pay these people. That’s step number one.” — Keith Jeffries [06:26]
• Interim Measures:
  • Communication is vital—both with staff and the traveling public.
  • Airport directors should offer support before situations reach a crisis point.
  • Encouragement and empathy from passengers can meaningfully boost staff morale.
  • Advice for Travelers:
    • Be patient, courteous, and thank TSA agents for their service.
    • If faced with an extreme wait time, consider changing plans rather than enduring the risk and stress.
      • Quote: “If you walk into an airport and you’re seeing a four hour wait time, my recommendation… I’m not standing in line four hours either. I’m turning around and going back home. That trip can’t be that important.” — Keith Jeffries [08:10]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Keith Jeffries, on ICE’s place in airports:
  “Crowd control, crowd monitoring, and see if that support is there. That’s all I would need them for there.” [05:35]
• Keith Jeffries, on security risk:
  “The biggest challenge is the security risk that it brings to the aviation sector—the crowds, the angst, and the shortage of personnel.” [03:34]
• Advice for travelers:
  “The traveling public really needs to understand how much...they turn to that TSA agent or greet them and say, hey, thanks for being here. I know you’re not getting paid, but we appreciate what you’re doing to keep us safe. Something as simple as that truly puts a bounce in their step for the rest of their shift.” [07:45]
• Blunt advice on wait times:
  “I’m not standing in line four hours either. I’m turning around and going back home. That trip can’t be that important.” [08:16]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:35: Setting the scene—traveler frustration and TSA absenteeism heighten due to shutdown.
• 02:49–03:26: Guest introduction—Keith Jeffries joins to discuss operational challenges.
• 03:27–04:00: Security implications of staff shortages.
• 04:31–05:55: ICE’s actual and potential roles at airports explained.
• 06:20–07:26: Solutions: pay workers, keep staff informed, community support.
• 07:27–08:24: Advice for travelers, practical coping strategies, and final thoughts.

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Tone & Takeaway

The conversation is pragmatic and direct, emphasizing the substantial operational and security strains at airports due to the shutdown, while demystifying ICE’s supplemental role. Jeffries offers clear, candid advice and underscores the human toll and systemic vulnerabilities created by political stalemate. The episode concludes with a strong message to both lawmakers and the traveling public: swift legislative action is vital, but patience and empathy are indispensable in the meantime.

Transcript

[Scott Detrow]

Long lines, frustrated passengers missed flights. That has been the reality this week for thousands of travelers across the country as a partial government shutdown stretches into its sixth week. I just missed my flight by two minutes. Ariana Bolsitto was trying to fly from Houston to Charlotte for a second day on Monday. She told Houston public media that the day before she had waited in line for three hours. I had to book a fight for $300. And yeah, I got here five hours early thinking it was not like it was gonna look like what it did yesterday. It looks way worse than what it did. Y During the shutdown, agents at the Transportation Security Administration have been working without pay. At the same time, thousands have called out of work. Hundreds have quit.

[Keith Jeffries]

Well, some of them are needing money, you know, because the Democrats cut off their money. I blame the Democrats more than anything else.

[Scott Detrow]

President Trump sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to certain airports to help. So far, though, the responsibilities and contributions of the deployed agents have been unclear. And on Capitol Hill, there's been a back and forth between Republicans and Democrats for a plan to fund the tsa, but still no concrete proposal. Consider this. Both TSA and ICE fall under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, but the two agencies have different responsibilities. What impact, if any, will deploying ICE agents to airports have? And what can travelers expect as Washington continues to spar over a funding deal? From npr, I'm Scott Detrow.

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[Scott Detrow]

It's Consider this from npr. TSA agents have been working More than a month now without pay due to an ongoing standoff over Homeland Security funding. Democrats in Congress are refusing to fund the department unless the Trump administration agrees to changes over how ICE operates. In the meantime, many TSA agents are calling in sick or quitting rather than keep working without pay. And now ICE agents have been deployed to some airports across the country to assist the tsa. To give us a sense of how airports around the US Are managing all of this, we're joined by Keith Jeffries. He is the former Federal Security Director for TSA and at Los Angeles International Airport. Welcome.

[Keith Jeffries]

Thanks, Scott.

[Scott Detrow]

I mean, just directly, what would you say the biggest security challenges are with this many workers being out with lines being this long?

[Keith Jeffries]

The biggest challenge is the security risk that it brings to the aviation sector. The crowds, the angst, the stress, and the shortage of personnel to get them through from point A to point B safely.

[Scott Detrow]

And is it fair to say that you're looking at the same dynamics, maybe magnified dynamics, of just what happens to human beings when they're made to wait in a long line, that the temper is going to be higher and that can lead to more problems?

[Keith Jeffries]

Yeah, there's no doubt about that. I mean, it's been years since TSA first rolled out in 2002. So we haven't had these kind of wait times since then. We are seeing record wait times even going back to when TSA first rolled out. And that's just unacceptable. And not just because people are waiting. They have a job to do. But, yeah, don't stand in that line. Figure out a way to work around that mode of transportation for that day.

[Scott Detrow]

So we're seeing a lot of agents, for one reason or another, not show up to work or take a few days off here and there due to the extenuating circumstances. We are seeing these long, long lines. We now have ICE involved at some airports. My understanding is they're not doing direct passenger screening, and the initial reports are the wait times have not gone down at all. Do you have a sense of what these ICE agents are doing at airports?

[Keith Jeffries]

Yeah, I do have a sense of it, and I think that the traveling public is just. They're just not aware. So each airport will be different. I think it would be easier or best, Scott, if I explained to you from the top down. So DHS heard from the President. We want ICE agents in airports. DHS would reach out to TSA in Washington, say, hey, hypothetically, give us your top 10 airports or top 15 airports that have the most call outs, the highest percentage of Call outs. Then they say, okay, here's the airports. They want to know what the airports are going to and what's the role going to be. TSA hopefully told them, I know this is how it's supposed to work. Tell the field leaders, the federal security directors in the field. You're getting five agents, Keith. Deploy them as you see fit, or 10 agents. And then I meet with my team in that airport community and talk to them. I'm getting 10 agents that's reporting to work on Monday. I highly recommend crowd control, crowd monitoring, and see if that support is there. That's all I would need them for there. However, could they do other things? The short answer is yes. Such as exit lanes would require a little bit of training, possibly some shadowing. I'm not saying I would put them there, but because you're only going to free up one person, could they eventually be moved to the ticket document checker location where you hand your boarding pass and id? The answer is yes.

[Scott Detrow]

What would you recommend as a solution or a step that an airport can take to kind of minimize this?

[Keith Jeffries]

Well, I think the number one thing that it's on the tip of everyone's tongue right now is we gotta get these lawmakers to pass a budget and pay these people. That's step number one. Airport directors, they know constant communication because even the federal employees that are not receiving a paycheck, what we're all after is, when is it going to end? When do you think we're finally going to get paid? And also that communication is from the leadership of both the airports, the federal employees. How can we help? What do you need? Don't wait till it's a catastrophe. Let us try to get you some help and support that you need. And you see an outpouring from the communities in many locations. And you still have the 40% plus call outs. Now, these are people making real life decisions. And I understand that. But at the same time, you know what? They took an oath. They understand the mission and they need to be in there to keep that traveling public safe. And I guarantee you 99% of all of those employees are trying their best to do that.

[Scott Detrow]

We've been talking a lot about the challenge of managing the situation from a staffing point of view. I'm wondering, given your expertise, given your background, what you would say to travelers right now, somebody who's getting on a plane this weekend and is pretty anxious about it.

[Keith Jeffries]

Yeah, the top of the list is you've got to be patient. And the traveling public really needs to understand how much when they go through and they simply turn to that TSA agent or greet them and say, hey, thanks for being here. I know you're not getting paid, but we appreciate what you're doing to keep us safe. Something as simple as that truly puts a bounce in their step for the rest of their shift. I know that oversimplifies things, but that is the truth. So be courteous. And if you walk into an airport and you're seeing a four hour wait time, my recommendation, I know airport directors and airlines will probably hate me for this. I'm not standing in line four hours either. I'm turning around and going back home. That trip can't be that important.

[Scott Detrow]

That's Keith Jeffries, former federal security director for TSA at LAX. These days he is the Vice President for the K2 Security Screening Group. Thanks for talking to us.

[Keith Jeffries]

Thank you, Scott.

[Scott Detrow]

Before we go, a plug, you can join our colleagues at NPR's National Security Podcast, Sources and Methods for a live virtual event March 31. Host Mayor Louise Kelly and reporter Greg Myhrey will talk about the latest news from Iran covering the intelligence community, and they will answer your questions about Iran and the national security beat. To get your invite, you can sign up for npr. You will receive a registration link by the end of this week and your membership supports the reporting you hear on this show every day. Sign up now at plus.npr.org and watch your email at plus.npr.org this episode was produced by Jordan Marie Smith and Alejandra Marques Hanse with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by John Ketchum. Our executive producer is Sam McEnigan. It's Consider this from NPR. I'm Scott Detrow.

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