ICE at airports draws mixed reaction

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- While El Paso is not among the initial airports slated to receive Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, travelers passing through other major hubs say they are already seeing a federal presence, and reactions are mixed.

Rachael Wilson said she encountered ICE agents while traveling through George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, where she waited in a security line for nearly two hours.

“They weren’t, like, helping guide people or doing anything helpful,” Wilson said.

She described agents wearing green vests labeled “Police ICE” walking through the airport.

“They weren’t masked, but they were just in their gear walking around,” she said.

Angelo Washington, who flew in from Atlanta, said the presence of ICE agents makes him uneasy as a frequent traveler.

“I think ICE agents are a little bit more aggressive than your TSA agents, who will try to help you out and get you through the right way,” he said.

Still, some travelers see potential benefits.

Jesse Alderete, who was waiting for his daughter at the airport, said long lines have become a major issue. His daughter was recently stranded in Atlanta after missing a flight due to delays at security.

“She waited seven hours. She stayed overnight at the airport,” Alderete said.

He said additional personnel could help ease congestion.

“They can keep the lines going,” he said.

Border czar Tom Homan said ICE agents are being deployed to assist Transportation Security Administration officers and improve efficiency.

“Their number one mission there, as the president said, is to help TSA with security and help move the flow of people through those lines,” Homan said.

But travelers like Wilson said that was not their experience.

“They weren’t actually there getting people prepared to unload their stuff or opening up new lines to allow people to move faster,” she said.