Airport chaos: ICE agents deployed to ease TSA lines amid government shutdown
President Donald Trump has directed ICE personnel to U.S. airports as federal officials work to ease long security lines and staffing gaps disrupting spring break travel across the country. The move comes as TSA workers have gone more than 37 days without paychecks during the partial government shutdown. Administration officials, including Tom Homan and Sean Duffy, said ICE agents will be assigned to support roles that do not require specialized screening training, with the goal of shortening passenger wait times while keeping airport security operations intact.
A Southwest Airlines flight attendant accused of remaining in the United States after his visa expired was taken into custody by federal immigration authorities while on the job earlier this month, officials said.
Local reports identified the employee as Lorenzo Thompson, a Jamaican national who was arrested July 14 in Nashville, Tennessee.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told Fox News that Thompson initially entered the country on April 17, 2021, with a visa that expired on Oct. 16 of that same year.
Interior view of a Boeing 737-MAX 8 passenger aircraft operated by Southwest Airlines. (iStock)
“Against our nation’s laws, he overstayed his visa and failed to depart. He will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings,” an ICE spokesperson said.
ICE also pointed to a federal self-deportation incentive, saying immigrants in the country illegally may be eligible for $2,600 and a free flight to leave the United States voluntarily.
“We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream,” the agency said. “If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”
A Southwest Airlines 737 comes in for landing at Portland International Airport. A Southwest flight attendant was arrested last week for allegedly overstaying his visa. (iStock)
TWU Local 556, the union that represents Southwest Airlines flight attendants, also confirmed the arrest.
“Every Member deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and we are committed to ensuring this Member and their family know they are not alone during this difficult time,” the union wrote on Facebook.
The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) said Thompson was working toward obtaining U.S. citizenship.
“He had a valid work visa and was a dedicated flight attendant, touching countless lives with his kindness,” the group wrote on social media.
An online crowdfunding page launched to cover Thompson’s legal bills said he left Jamaica “seeking safety from life-threatening abuse.”
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are present as passengers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint after hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were ordered to deploy to airports to help fill TSA staffing gaps, at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, March 23, 2026. (REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer)
“Since arriving, he has worked tirelessly to build a stable life, following every legal step toward citizenship,” the page states. “He has no criminal record. No parking tickets. He holds a valid work visa, has a pending asylum case, and is a dedicated flight attendant for a beloved airline.”
The page described him as “honest, caring, and loyal, always ready to lend a hand without expecting anything back.”
INC News has reached out to the airline for comment.
