IND airport travelers react to ICE to help TSA Monday

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Staring Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will assist TSA airports across the country. A budget battle in congress is keeping TSA from getting paid, creating staffing issues.

Many travelers that spoke with News 8 say they weren’t expecting to see ICE during their Spring travel. Some say they are hopeful it could ease the long wait times. Others say it raises new concerns while traveling.

“TSA definitely needs some help right now, but what kind of security are [ICE] going to provide?” Hugo Lopez, who was traveling through the Indianapolis International Airport said. “Is it the same type of security they are doing in Minneapolis? You know, where even U.S. citizens are going to be concerned about now having the right paperwork.”

ICE is expected to support TSA teams at select airports, but they have not announced which airports ICE officers will be assigned to, other than the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

“They might be sent here to do something positive,” traveler Ade Yemi said. “They may end up doing something negative to a lot of people. I am just not one for it.”

Despite potential shorter wait times, many travelers told News 8, it’s not worth it.

“I mean regardless of the line, people have been able to navigate and get to their destination,” Yemi said. “I would like to keep it business as usual.”

“Personally, I would wait in the line because right now the problem is more economical than political,” Lopez said. “When I came out of El Paso, I thanked the TSA agent. I said ‘I appreciate what you guys are doing. You aren’t getting paid, but you are still here on the front lines.’”

Lopez says he would feel more comfortable with ICE around, under one circumstance, “If ICE personelle were to come here, probably without guns,” Lopez said. “People would feel safer around them. There is no need for them and there is already so many police forces here. We don’t need another federal entity with guns blazing.”

Federal officials have indicated that this task for ICE is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities. ICE is only meant to help with crowd control.