ICE Agents Helping TSA Cut Atlanta Airport Lines After Ossoff Smeared Them

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) previously derided ICE officers as 'roving gangs of masked men' who 'look like they couldn't pass the army physical exam'.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 1:33am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A dynamic, abstract painting of ICE agents and TSA workers in motion, with overlapping geometric shapes and vibrant colors representing the chaos and disruption at the Atlanta airport.ICE agents assisting short-staffed TSA workers at Atlanta's airport expose the political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement.Atlanta Today

The ICE officers that Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) previously criticized are now assisting short-staffed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as the partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown continues to disrupt travel. Ossoff has voted multiple times against Republican-backed DHS funding measures, even though ICE was already funded under provisions passed by Congress. The presence of the ICE agents has helped reduce long security lines at the Atlanta airport.

Why it matters

This story highlights the political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement agencies like ICE, as well as the impact of the DHS shutdown on airport operations. It also raises questions about how political rhetoric can affect the ability of government agencies to respond to emergencies and assist the public.

The details

About 60,000 TSA agents have gone nearly two months without paychecks during the shutdown, leading to more than 500 TSA agents quitting and callouts at Hartsfield-Jackson reaching 41.5 percent. The staffing shortages have contributed to multi-hour security lines that have stranded travelers in Atlanta. On March 24, ICE officers arrived at more than a dozen airports nationwide to assist TSA agents with crowd control, line management, and identification checks. Hartsfield-Jackson was among the airports where lines became noticeably shorter after the officers began assisting short-staffed TSA personnel.

  • On March 24, ICE officers arrived at more than a dozen airports nationwide to assist TSA agents.
  • On March 27, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum directing DHS and OMB to use funds to pay TSA employees during the shutdown.

The players

Sen. Jon Ossoff

A Democratic senator from Georgia who has voted against Republican-backed DHS funding measures and criticized ICE officers.

ICE

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, whose officers have been assisting short-staffed TSA agents at airports during the DHS shutdown.

TSA

The Transportation Security Administration, which has been experiencing staffing shortages and long security lines at airports due to the DHS shutdown.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who praised ICE officers assisting travelers and signed a memorandum to use funds to pay TSA employees during the shutdown.

Markwayne Mullin

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If there's such a problem of violent immigrants in our country, why were they able to put thousands of ICE agents in our airports to hand out bottles of water?”

— Rep. Eric Swalwell, U.S. Representative from California

“We've been seeing these ICE agents out here today managing lines, helping with crowd control … the lines have been a little bit better the last few hours.”

— Fox News reporter

“They're here doing a job, just like TSA. Bless their hearts.”

— Traveler at Hartsfield-Jackson

What’s next

President Trump has urged Congress to return from recess and fully reopen the Department of Homeland Security to permanently resolve the crisis.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement agencies and the impact of government shutdowns on critical public services. It also raises questions about how political rhetoric can affect the ability of government agencies to respond to emergencies and assist the public.