Armed federal agents decked out in tactical gear patrolled Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday as the partial government shutdown creates chaos at major airports nationwide.
The agents aren't screening passengers or doing immigration enforcement. They're there to provide a security presence while TSA employees work without pay. Over 41% of Atlanta TSA workers called out Monday, part of nearly 3,500 agents who called out nationwide.
The shutdown affects the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA, ICE, FEMA, and the Coast Guard. Democrats have refused to vote for DHS funding without measures to rein in ICE after high-profile shooting deaths of citizens in Minneapolis sparked massive protests. Travelers should still expect 4+ hour waits at security.
