MARIETTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The U.S. men’s national team is using Atlanta United’s training ground in Marietta to prepare for two friendlies that will help shape the final roster for this summer’s World Cup.

Stars in camp include Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream and Patrick Agyemang. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino faces key decisions as the group narrows ahead of a roster deadline in May.

“This is part of the job you do. With national team it’s always going to be competitive. You’re competing against a lot of top guys, and all those guys are really good players,” Agyemang said. “It’s a great feeling to be in the mix. You want to keep working hard to hopefully be selected.”

The U.S. enters the spring window after a strong fall slate where they went 4-1-1 with wins over teams such as Japan and Uruguay. The goal of March camp, outside of a final roster, is to have a launch pad into the summer.

“It’s actually really easy now because guys come in and everybody knows what the expectations are,” Tim Ream said.

Both friendlies will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, giving the U.S. a look at a potential World Cup venue in Atlanta. If the Americans advance to the semifinals, they could return to the building — expected to be referred to as Atlanta Stadium during the tournament.

“Good stadium to play in. Two really high-level games. Looking at both these games to try and continue on a good pathway to the World Cup,” Ream said.

The U.S. will play March 28 and play Portugal on March 31.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Federal immigration officers have been seen at an airport in Atlanta after President Donald Trump said he’d deploy agents to supplement the Transportation Security Administration during a government shutdown that has caused long lines at security checkpoints across the country.

On Monday morning, a handful of federal agents were seen by The Associated Press near busy lines at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

READ MORE: LaGuardia Airport collision between jet and fire truck kills pilot and copilot

Federal agents are a routine presence at international airports, where Customs and Border Protection officers screen arriving travelers and Homeland Security Investigations agents handle criminal cases tied to smuggling, trafficking and fraud.

What’s unusual in the current moment is their visibility at TSA security checkpoints, a role typically handled by transportation security officers rather than federal investigators.

Hundreds of thousands of Homeland Security workers, including from the TSA, U.S. Secret Service and Coast Guard, have worked without pay since Congress failed to renew DHS funding last month.

Some fear the move to deploy federal immigration agents will only escalate tensions.

READ MORE: Federal immigration agents sent to U.S. airports to support security during budget impasse

Trump said Sunday he would order federal immigration agents to airports to assist TSA by guarding exit lanes or checking passenger IDs unless Democrats agreed to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Funding for the department lapsed Feb. 14 as Democrats refused to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as Customs and Border Protection without changes to their operations in the wake of the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.

Democrats are continuing to demand major changes to federal immigration operations — including policy changes that would require ICE agents to get a warrant from a judge before forcefully entering homes, the removal of masks and clear identifying information on uniforms.

READ MORE: Trump says he will order federal immigration officers to help with airport security unless Democrats end shutdown

Trump on Monday directed ICE officers not to wear face coverings in their work at airports. In a social media posted, Trump said he supports ICE officers wearing masks when dealing with “hardened criminals” but suggested it isn’t necessary when assisting with the “MESS at the airports.”

Grantham-Philips reported from New York. Associated Press writer Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report.

Mayor Andre Dickens is addressing a planned ICE presence at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as additional personnel are set to assist with operations, during ongoing federal staffing challenges starting tomorrow.

In a statement released Sunday, Dickens said the City of Atlanta has been notified that federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations will be deployed to the airport beginning Monday morning. 

According to the mayor, those personnel will not be conducting immigration enforcement. Instead, they will support the Transportation Security Administration with line management and crowd control inside domestic terminals. 

“This deployment is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities,” Dickens said, citing information provided by federal officials. 

City leaders emphasized that all federal personnel will report directly to TSA during the assignment. Officials also noted that there has been no request for assistance from the Atlanta Police Department and no expected impact on city operations. 

The move comes as TSA continues to navigate operational pressures tied to federal workforce challenges, including issues related to funding and employee pay.

Dickens said the city will continue monitoring the situation while staying in communication with travelers and residents.

“Atlanta remains committed to ensuring that residents and travelers feel safe, informed, and supported as they move through the world’s busiest and most efficient airport,” Dickens said. 

The mayor also expressed hope that the federal government will resolve ongoing funding issues affecting TSA workers.

“Our Administration remains hopeful the Federal Government can soon find a way to fully fund TSA and pay their employees to resume standard operations,” he said. 

City officials say support measures have already been put in place to assist TSA officers who continue working despite pay disruptions, though specific operational questions are being directed to the TSA.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remains one of the busiest travel hubs in the world, and officials say maintaining smooth operations remains a top priority as the federal deployment begins.