Mayor Andre Dickens confirms ICE agents deploying to Atlanta airport

Source: WAGA-TV Atlanta, GA

Updated March 22, 2026 6:54pm EDT


ATLANTA - Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport faced three-hour security delays Sunday as Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens confirmed federal immigration agents will deploy to assist unpaid TSA staff starting Monday.

Airport security wait hits three-hour peak

What we know: Airport officials are urging passengers to arrive at least 3 hours before their flight due to the extended wait. The spike in wait times has been attributed to a high number of TSA employees calling out, as many staffers have missed paychecks for over a month now. Airport general manager Ricky Smith said last week, around 34% of Hartsfield-Jackson's TSA agents have called out as the partial shutdown continues.

Federal agents to assist at Atlanta security checkpoints

What they're saying:. In response to the delays, President Donald Trump said on Sunday he plans to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports across the country starting Monday to assist at security checkpoints impacted by the ongoing shutdown.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has confirmed federal agents will be sent to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday morning. "According to federal officials, these personnel will be assigned to support operational needs directed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including line management and crowd control within the domestic terminals," Dickens said. "Federal officials have indicated that this deployment is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities." ICE agents are supposed to report directly to TSA.

Read more: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/mayor-andre-dickens-confirms-ice-agents-deploying-atlanta-airport